


Danganronpa: Shattered Truth

by Maztermo



Category: Danganronpa, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Talentswap (Dangan Ronpa), Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Nonbinary Character, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2020-12-23 20:04:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 158,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21087041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maztermo/pseuds/Maztermo
Summary: Your name is Kaede Akamatsu. You wake up trapped in an abandoned school with fifteen other talented students. With the promise of thrills, chills and kills, how will you be able to escape? And what truths will you find along the way?O̖͚̗̳̗̣̮͎ͥ̃͛̄ͧn̸͇̂͑ͧͪͫ̓̔e̩̺̻̱͂ͦ͑ͯ͊ ̶̸͔̫͕ͫͅļ͓̣̜͍͗̃͟a̷͕̝͚͙ͤͣ̕ṡ̹̫̰ͬ͘͟t͋̔͋͐҉̣͈̣̗̺͉̼̺ ̵̉́̋̇̽̔͏̬͇͚̱͔͠g̡̝̙̮̩͉̺͉̫͉͂́̃̇͞a̷͚͍̩̠̰̜͎̠ͪͤ̒̀ͬḿ̖̜̉̒ͥ̃̆ͬ̍͞ͅe͉͓͉̠̲̻͈ͭͫ̔ͨ͝





	1. W͕̮͓̜̋͂̈́͑́͆̎ͅa̪͕̖ͩ̌ͥͣͪ͗͠ķ͙̤̩̳͉̬͋́̏̿̒̄ͤe͐̊̋̄͏̳̦ ̛̦̬͚̲̣͙̘̦͛͌̃̒̅̀ͮu͈̹̣͉̦̮̳̺̯̐͊ͮ̎ͨ͐ͤp̗̪͉̻̣̗ͨ͠

Session [V3: Killing Harmony] has expired.

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Loading session [V3: Shattered Truth] . . .

>START PROLOGUE


	2. Prologue

There’s... nothing. Complete darkness and loss of senses. There’s a certain numbness, not only for touch and space but a lingering feeling that something that is there simply isn’t. No sound or light. No voice or form. No understanding of where you are.

...Where you are? 

Where are you? 

Your muscles tense as you’re suddenly woken up. You hit a wall as you shoot forward, the loud CLANG from your skull to metal shakes the air. Not the most pleasant way to wake up but better awake than dead, you suppose. 

_ What an unpleasant thought _, you think to yourself. 

Now that you’re awake, you decide the best course of action would be to get a good grasp on the situation. There are two sources of light, both placed next to each other right in front of you. Descending in rows, three slits on both left and right with bright greenish light pouring onto your face. You extend a hand. A hand that traces along nothing. To take hold of the darkness— It’s cold and hard, just like the feeling you got when you slammed your forehead against it. You feel down the wall until your fingers find something resembling a handle. You slowly push on the handle and the light starts to creep through the side in one vertical line. You push more until the door is completely out of sight. 

You’re bathed in an uncomfortably lurid green glow on your left and a dull bluish grey on your right. You step out of the cage you’ve been stuck in for the last however many minutes. Maybe hours. Now that you think about it, how long have you been in there for? Maybe days? Weeks? Have you eaten anything? How did you get here? Did you get kidnapped? Where is your family? 

_ Okay, calm down _ , you think. You take a deep breath. _ Keep it together, Kaede _. 

For now, you should probably try to calm yourself down by establishing everything you currently know. 

Your name is Kaede Akamatsu. As a world-famous author, you’re considered perhaps the most inspiring and creative teenager of the century, not to mention influential. Every book you’ve written has become an instant hit with copies flying off the shelves as soon as they go in stock. One of your novels caused a wide-spread phenomenon in which the new sexy was the weathermen on T.V. That’s by far your most successful novel so far. 

You started writing at a very young age when you’d listen to the sounds of life around you and translate it into beautiful poems and short stories. Ever since then, you’ve found ways to make new and exciting books from even the most mundane situations. Your favourite things to write are mainly the romance novels and heroes’ quest kind of stories. You’re very proud of your achievements. 

Outside of your talents, you like to engage in very small amounts of trash T.V and frankly terrible romcoms. Okay, you love watching horrible reality T.V shows. Watching interactions and people falling apart is fascinating to you as well as helping you affirm your ability to not completely lose it at the smallest things. You would like to think you’re quite the friendly person but you’d never know, no-one really tells you things that don’t relate to your writing. You kind of wish they would but you’re not one to complain often. Doesn’t stop you from screaming at your T.V with a tub of ice-cream as the characters get into incredibly petty arguments with increasingly ridiculous circumstances and sound effects. It’s good fun. 

Because of your talents, you’ve been accepted into the prestigious and highly exclusive Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles. You’ve been titled the Ultimate Writing Prodigy. After blacking out for an unknown amount of time, you appear to have woken up inside of a locker and stepped out into a room. 

Oh! Of course, can’t forget the outfit check. The kidnappers seem to have caught you on a fairly lazy day. Big vest over an even bigger turtle-neck sweater and leggings. Your tie is very loose and sort of draping over your body. Apparently, you didn’t get a lot of time to prepare yourself today. Your hair is up in a lazy ponytail and some basic clips decorate your fringe. You’re very pink but that’s probably just because it’s one of your favourite colours. Not to say other colours can’t be equally good but you guess it’s more about how you’re feeling. 

But... now you don’t know where to go from here. As you stand in what looks like an empty classroom, you become less sure of your situation. The chairs and tables are facing towards you and the door is to your left. You could leave if you wanted to but there’s something so strange about what’s to your right. There are windows but they’re covered in what looks like barbed wire. Red and crawling all over the panes like they’re trying to keep something out. Maybe the strangest part is the vegetation seeping through the cracks in the walls and the small holes in the window frames. Is that what the barbwire is for? Is it trying to keep out the plants and moss? Some part of you doubts that. 

The lurid green appears to be coming from the LCD board beside the locker you came out of. It’s like a blackboard but for a more technologically advanced school. What were they called, Smartboards? Although, you can’t see any colourful pens or erasers at the bottom. You’re no longer sure of what you’re staring at. It’s also giving you a headache. You decide to stop looking at the LCD board... thing. Suspended in front of the LCD board, there is a massive monitor with a copious amount of megaphones and speakers attached to it. Nothing is playing on the monitor but it still gives you that out-of-place vibe. Well, if everything else in this room didn’t give you that out-of-place vibe. Seriously, this place looks like it could blow its money on anything it wanted and yet, they left it to be dilapidated. The vines creep through the back and the monitor looks brand new. 

_ What is this place? _

The floor looks really dirty. You’re not sure why you’re so bothered by this but you are. This school probably hasn’t been cleaned in decades. It’s quite gross, being in an abandoned school rather than one actually in use. Then again, the kidnappers or whoever brought you here probably wouldn’t want to give you the satisfaction. You’re considering finding the time to clean up the place. Why is that? Who knows? 

You quickly check the locker you came from again to find a large bag with some papers in it. It’s a one-strapped. 

Oh, this is your writing bag! All of your drafts and edited versions of stories are stored in this thing. Why is it here? Shouldn’t this be at home? You don’t usually carry the whole thing around when you’re out and about. It’s mainly just one or two books or folders, not the whole bag. Things are just really strange today. You sling the bag over your shoulder. 

There’s only one locker in this room. That’s a little strange, you suppose. Not as strange as everything else so far but still strange. Having had enough of this room, you head straight for the classroom door and turn the handle to leave. 

The hallway beyond the door is far from what you expected. The floor is completely covered in grass and rocks and flowers. The ceilings have leaves and branches growing just in front of the windows, creating patterned shadows on the walls across. It reminds you a bit of those times you’d be sitting under the trees in the summer just writing about the birds and the rustling grass. As odd as everything is, it still somehow brings back good memories. 

Even in the face of absurdity, you still refuse to let things get you down. The light coming through the windows looks pretty. You’d consider staying for a short time just to write about this atmosphere. It’s incredible, really. 

You turn to the right. The place may seem open but the dull school walls remind you of that claustrophobic feeling you got from being inside the locker. You follow the wall until you find an LED sign that just says ‘classroom’. The door is a deep red with a nicely carved rectangular shape in the middle. You reach for the golden handle but when you twist, it won’t open. You push on the door with your shoulder but it won’t budge. You let out a quizzical “Hm,” and step back from the door. Probably best not to worry about this now. Out of the corner of your eye, you spot another monitor with megaphones and speakers stuck onto it. It’s held up on a stand and looks a lot bigger than the one in the classroom. Curiouser and curiouser. You turn around and stare at the door across the room. It doesn’t look anything like the classroom door. Instead, it has some kind of sharp illustration on it. You walk towards it to get a better look. The illustration is a stylised guitar with what looks like spider webs on the body. After brushing your hands over it, you’ve realised that the spiderwebs are part of the art and not actually real spiderwebs. Better to know than not know, you guess. The guitar would suggest that this is a music room but the spider web pattern and just general feel of the door feels like it’s something more specific. Maybe it’s for someone in particular. You haven’t a clue. 

The door won’t budge though. Just like the classroom, it seems to be locked tight. 

You follow the wall to find a small hallway connecting two rooms. On the wall, there’s a corkboard with some papers pinned to it. The writing is a bit sloppy and it doesn’t help that some of the papers have gone yellow with mould. But there’s a crisp, white piece of paper stuck on top of all of them with clear pen writing. 

‘_Timeline for Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles: _

_ Gathering of Ultimates ==> Announcement plays ==> Opening ceremony ==> Class begins. _

_ Requirements: _

_ The 16 students all need to have met at least one other student before gathering in the gym. _

_ Electricity checks need to have been made before the ceremony begins. _

_ Exisals need to remain inactive but easily accessible. _

_ Each student must have pockets or somewhere to keep their pads. _

_ The list may be updated at any time._' 

This is definitely new but who is it for? It doesn’t seem targeted at anyone in particular. Should this even be on a corkboard? Well, whatever. It gives you a clear goal now. And something to think about. Like what’s an exisal? Why does everyone need to meet at least one other person? Why does every student need a pad? 

... 

_ Wait, my bag’s big enough to store a pad. _

You sling your bag to your front and rifle through the papers and folders. Shoved to the side of the bag is a rectangular pad split down the middle; one side white, one side black. In the centre of the split sat the Ultimate Academy crest. You flip it over to the other side. It’s a sleek, black screen with a polished reflection staring back up at you. The border around the screen is smooth and cool to the touch while the back feels more rough and bumpy. You roll your thumb over the circular button on the right but don’t push down, a strange feeling of dread tells you not to. The environment seems to make you feel more isolated than before. The pleasant greenery has been replaced with all-consuming anxiety and doubt. The air feels thicker like it could strangle you with its long, coiling hands around your neck. Pressing this button is like taking that final step into the pitfall of hopelessness. It’s oppressive. You almost can’t breathe. You look up from the pad. 

You blink. You blink again. You’re not sure what brought on that description. Or that feeling in your chest. You kind of... hate this place now. It was fun when it was just nice, green, warm, sunshine-filled inside but somehow, within moments, all of that was crushed in an instant. You don’t know why or how. You decide to slip the pad back into your bag. You think you’ll get back to it later. 

You continue through the hallway where it’s somehow darker than the other room. The grass rustles under your shoes but you feel like there should be something else here. Like someone’s... watching. The windows are all barbed up so you can’t see anything apart from the walls and where the light barely shines. You wander around the place and try not to trip over the vegetation twisting and turning all over the floor. 

You see a person-shaped silhouette somewhere in the room. Kind of lanky, a lot more leg than the torso. They seem to be fiddling with their own hands and nervously stepping around the vines plaguing the area. They seem to be hiding around some kind of large, solid object. Is it a statue? You’re not sure. 

“Hello?” you call out to them. They seem to jump at your voice, squeaking in surprise. 

“D-don’t hurt me,” they say. They look around, trying to figure out where you are. You do suppose that calling out in the dark is a little scary but not to this level. You can hear little whimpers coming from them as they step backwards. They hit a wall and hold themselves in a tight hug. 

“Hey, I’m not going to hurt you,” you say, slowly walking towards the light shining through a window with your hands out in front of you. “I’m unarmed, completely defenceless and not ready to attack.”

You squint as you step into the light. If anything would make someone think they were safe, it would be knowing that your short, chubby body is in plain sight. That’s what you would assume anyway. You’d like to think you look very friendly regardless of the terrifying environment. The figure, still in the darkness, looks at you with only slight scepticism. They’re afraid but much less so now. They slowly approach you and the light with curiosity, outstretching a hand. When their face comes into the light, you suddenly feel like you remember something. Pale skin, blue ombre hair and an ahoge sticking out the top. Half of their face is covered in hair so you can’t see their other eye and there’s a tear-shaped tattoo on their cheek. They blink their long eyelashes and slowly stand up straight. 

_ Wait a second... _

“Shuichi Saihara?” 

“Wha-!” they stumble out of the light. Their boots snag on a vine causing them to fall onto their back. They groan and rub their head.

“Oh! I’m so sorry! I just saw you and you reminded me of a model I’ve seen in a magazine. You do look incredibly similar,” you apologise while offering a hand up. 

They take your hand. “I’m sorry I overreacted. Guess I’m not that used to random people knowing my name yet.”

You pull them up to their feet and gently lead the two of you back into the light. You get a good look of their outfit. You feel like you’ve seen it before like in that aforementioned magazine. White, popped collar under a black shirt and a long, undone necktie with a spotty pattern on it. Saturated blue skinny jeans and long boots with highlighter blue shoelaces. 

“Wait, you’re actually Shuichi? Shuichi Saihara?” you ask, there’s a rising excitement in your voice. 

They scratch at their face nervously, “The one and only, I think.”

You bring your fists to your chest and restrain yourself from bouncing around the place too much. You don’t want to freak out too much but meeting your hero isn’t something to be sneezed at. Shuichi! Shuichi Saihara is standing right here! You are unbelievably excited about this revelation. 

“Oh my goodness! I am your biggest fan! I’ve read every article you’re in and watched every interview, you are such an inspiration for all of my works!” 

“I-I... well, thank you,” he stutters, fiddling with his tie. He takes a second to get a look at your bag. He tilts his head to look at something. 

“‘Happiness Tastes Like Hazelnut Spread’?” he reads aloud. 

“Oh!” You go through your bag and take out your file with your draft papers, “This was one I started before I got here. It’s not finished yet but I think this might be my most ambitious yet.” 

You hand Shuichi the draft for ‘Hazelnut Spread’ and watch in excitement as he carefully opens it and begins to read the prologue. His eyes scan the page rather quickly but you can tell he’s reading it thoroughly. His face apart from that is a little hard to read. 

He lowers the papers from his face. “You’re... Kaede Akamatsu, right?” 

You wait a moment for your mouth to catch up with your brain. Of course, having a famous model recognise your style of writing is incredible, the stuff of dreams. Earth-shattering. Your heart is pounding in your chest right now. You just wish you could— 

“Yes,” you suddenly exclaim. 

_ God, keeping it together is so hard. _

“As in, the Kaede Akamatsu? Author of ‘Till The Tides Come Dancing'?” his shoulders are rising to his ears. A smile creeps along his face. “As in, the Ultimate Writing Prodigy Kaede Akamatsu? You’re her?”

“Yep! That’s me,” you confirm, placing your hands on your hips. You are both clearly in awe of each other. 

You two start exchanging stories about how one inspired the other and the reasons for the little things you do. Apparently, Shuichi now prefers to spend his off-times relaxing by the beach because of the way you described it in your critically acclaimed novel. It’s not even his favourite, apparently, that honour was saved for one of your lesser-known ones, Woven By Strings. He goes into detail about how he’ll have sessions shooting in front of a camera and a screen but as soon as he’s done, he sits down and reads something by you. You explain that the reason you started wearing big ties and that you dyed your hair pink was because of his look. You saw his magazine once in a convenience store and decided to take it by chance. You were so glad you did. Reading his interview inside gave you inspiration for a character who ended up being in Woven By Strings (which is probably why he likes it so much) and you’ve always wanted to thank him since. Not to mention having such a free play on his masculine and feminine features makes you feel more confident in your own choice for dressing. Of course, you still like to wear the occasional cute skirt but you’ve found yourself splurging more into the men’s style as of late. It’s all so incredible that the two of you are such big fans of each other. 

“So, are you the Ultimate Fashionista?” you ask. 

“Well, technically yes but I think a better title would be the Ultimate Model.” 

You slightly tilt your head, “Why’s that?” 

“None of the clothes I wear are ones I’d choose, personally. I just get into whatever clothes my assistants give me and then pose for the camera,” his eyes fall to the floor, “sometimes, I feel like I don’t really have a say in my life.” 

_ That’s... confronting. _

You guess you never really considered that someone like Shuichi would have troubles like this. Even if he is famous and on the front page of every magazine at the small grocery store near your home, you never really saw through the glossy pages and ads. Your stunned silence seems to be making him nervous. 

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make things sadder. I’ve never really talked to someone I’d consider a peer or... higher up, I guess.” Shuichi looks at the floor with his head hung, rubbing at his other arm anxiously. 

“I’m higher up?” you playfully scoff, “I’m just a girl who writes books. You’re a famous model! A superstar for Japan! If anything, you’re higher up than me.” 

“Ah haha, not really. You’re way more famous on a worldwide scale,” he denies. 

“But you’re an icon! When people think of Japan, they think of your face. You could be as famous as that other blue-haired person with the tie but this time, you’re real!” 

“Y-you're exaggerating. I’ll die out in a couple of years — maybe even months, now that I think about it — but books have such a large, cultural impact. More people would be devastated if you stopped writing than if I stopped modelling.” 

Clearly, this strategy isn’t going to work. You’re going to have to compromise your position. In his mental hierarchy, that is. You’re not going to say anything stupid, right? 

“Tell you what; we forget our talents entirely and just agree that we’re just classmates. How’s that sound?” You hold your hand out for a handshake, smiling up at him. 

Shuichi’s doubt looks like it’s fading as he stares at your outstretched hand. He takes his hand off of his other arm and shakes yours. He’s cold. You think he should wear a jacket or a coat or something. Maybe there’s a lost and found box somewhere. You shake his hand with a hint of bounciness and not at all seriously. He cracks a short smile at your energy but it slips away as soon as you let go. 

“Wanna tag along so we can get out?” you offer. 

He nods. 

You look over at the silhouette in the darkness. You think it’s a statue of some kind of beast. 

“So, what is this thing?” you ask. 

You rest your hand at the base. It’s super cold, the coldest thing you’ve touched yet. The texture is smoother than you expected but it’s a little bumpy to run your fingers over. 

“I’m not entirely sure. I think it’s a dragon but I can’t tell in this light,” he answers. He slowly reaches out to touch the statue. His hands clasp the statue. He has to lean on the base to get close enough. “I think that’s the head,” he says. 

“It’s got horns and a long snout. I think.” His hand trails down the head and the neck of the dragon. 

“What’s it made out of?” you ask. 

He pauses, rubbing at the statue with his thumb. “I want to say bronze but... I’m not sure.” 

_ Jeez, he doesn’t seem confident in anything,_ you think to yourself. 

Of course, saying this out loud would cause an uncomfortable conversation. Writing dialogue has seemed to have made you a little savvier in the conversational department, you’d like to think that anyway. 

“This is such a weird place to put a statue,” he mutters, “it’s like it’s... floating. But why is there a dragon statue at the Ultimate Academy? Isn’t it a bit strange for a decoration?” 

You nod. “Yeah. Even for a prestigious school, it’s odd.” 

Shuichi takes his hand off of the statue and stands up straight. He fiddles with his tie a bit more and then walks around the base to meet you. “Where did you come from?” he asks. 

“Like, where was I born or—” 

He stutters, “I-I mean today. Where did- where you- when...” He shakes his head. “Where did you wake up?” 

You turn and point at the hallway you just came from. “I was in some classroom on that side. I think I found a music room but nothing else besides that.” 

“Oh, just like me. It’s weird how we didn’t run into each other sooner, huh?” he nervously sighs a laugh. 

You drop your arm. Your eyes trail back down to your bag as your hand slaps it. 

“Oh yeah, do you happen to have a tablet... pad... thingy on you?” 

His eyebrows curl in. “No...? Wait...” 

He pats his clothes and shoves his hands into his pockets. Nothing in his jeans. He flinches as he slaps a part of his shirt. He hesitates. With slight embarrassment, he pulls his black shirt out and sticks his hand between the gap. He pulls out a rectangular tablet. One side black, one side white. Just like yours. 

He lets out a small laugh. “How did I not notice that?” 

You shrug with a smile, “Not sure but at least that answers my question.” 

“How did you know?” You take out your tablet. 

“Read it somewhere.” 

“Read it where?”

You jut your thumb towards the hallway again. You turn and walk to the corkboard with the mouldy papers. You wonder what the mouldy ones say but it’s hard to tell due to the messy handwriting and, well, mould. This is quite a disgusting corkboard. 

“Do they not clear off the other papers because of laziness or...?” Shuichi lets his question hang while looking over your shoulder. 

You shrug, “I dunno.” 

You turn your head slightly to look at him. He’s reading the paper you read while mouthing the words to himself. There’s a slight whispering as he reads over the s’s and clicking for c’s, k’s and g’s. He’s far enough back to be a comfortable distance but you can still hear everything he’s reading until he decides to close his mouth for whatever reason. 

He stands back up. “W-we have to meet another person before the announcement?” 

“Yeah but you’ve already done that, haven’t you? You’ve met me.” 

“Oh, that’s true.” Shuichi still sounds uncertain. 

He tugs on his arm and brings his legs together. You step away from the corkboard and towards the window. Tapping your finger against your chin, your mind wanders to the requirements again. 

_ Sixteen of us,_ you think to yourself, _ how many of them will have been by themselves? Do they know the requirements? _

Shuichi shuffles towards you. “A-anyway, did we say we were going to get out of here?” 

You turn to face him, “Yeah but... as weird as this all is, I think we should explore a little.” 

He hesitates. His eyes dart to the floor and he plays with his sleeves. He folds it over with his fingers and thumb then slips them out and folds them again. He keeps folding his sleeves over and over again until he has nothing left to fold and he has to pull it all back down again. 

“Well,” he finally says, “if that’s what you want to do then okay. I kind of wandered around this area but I noticed a staircase up ahead.” 

You decide now that the conversation has come to a natural close that you two should investigate your strange circumstances together. You offer him a hand in case he trips again but he declines. You turn your head to see where he was looking. Though it’s dark in the hallway, the staircase he’s referring to is really lurid. Grossly so. Bright pink with contrasting circle patterns as wallpaper levels of lurid. You feel kind of sick from just looking at it, you kind of dread having to actually walk down the stairs. Nevertheless, you readjust your bag strap and take in a deep breath. 

“Alright,” you say with confidence, “let’s go peer hunting.”

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! **

**Shuichi’s report card has been updated based on your experience with him.**

You walk toward the stairs and Shuichi follows closely behind. Walking down the stairs feels like a blur. You don’t think you’ve ever felt so out of it before. You hardly remember being at the top of them. It’s like your soul briefly left your body as you took those numb steps down. This is by far the most bizarre set of stairs you’ve ever had the displeasure of going down. At the bottom greets another hallway with more barbed windows, greenery and gross cork boards. You walk towards the board on the wall but you can’t seem to find the paper you read on the top floor. How peculiar. You continue along, gliding your hand along the greyed wall until you reach a gap. You look down it but don’t see anything much. You keep going until you reach a door. It’s red with a pink symbol at around eye level. It’s a circle hovering above a triangle. Right, this is the girl’s bathroom. Shuichi coughs into his hand. When you look at him, you can tell he’s uncomfortable. 

“Could you wait out here?” you request, “I wanna know if anyone woke up here or if there’s an exit.” 

He intensely nods, you wonder if his head would roll off if he nodded any harder. You smile at him as you push open the door and step inside. The walls are the first thing that calls to you. 

Once again, you can’t help but still be a bit put off by the amount of red in this room. Well, not to say there’s anything wrong with red because there isn’t but at some point, it should make you question who designed this place. And who’s maintaining it. Thick branches and vines are growing everywhere in this bathroom. Like in the classroom, a monitor is hanging from the ceiling waiting to display something. There is nothing of note in here. You decide to head back out. 

When you step out of the bathroom door, you see that Shuichi isn’t waiting for you. Several thoughts enter your head. 

_That dick said he’d wait for me!_ is just one of them. 

_Is he okay? Did he get kidnapped again?_ is another one. 

“Shuichi?” you call out. After a couple of seconds, you hear the door next to the girl’s bathroom open. A hand is on the edge of the door with painted black nails. 

Out steps Shuichi. “Sorry,” he mumbles while closing the door behind him.

“Why are you apologising?” you ask.

He pauses. He probably wasn’t ready to answer that.

You sigh. “Did you find anything in there?”

He shakes his head.

“It’s just a bathroom. You?”

“Same, just a bathroom.”

Having gained nothing much, you turn around and start walking back toward the stairs. As you walked past, you had noticed the gap leading to another part of the hallway. 

While you saw nothing the first time through, something is moving around now. They look person-shaped. You make a bee-line towards them. As your feet rustle the tall grass, the figure turns their head to see where the sound is coming from. You almost mistook their head for another bunch of leaves due to how lush green and unkempt their hair is. It covers most of their right eye. The figure looks more sophisticated than you expected. White, collared dress shirt with a loose, blue sweater on top and a suit jacket. The suit jacket sleeves are rolled up and it looks like the inside of it are a deep red colour. The dress shirt sleeves remain unrolled though. 

The figure speaks before you can with a voice that is as relaxing as the soft hum of rain. “Oh, hello. You two get kidnapped as well?” 

Their smile is gentle, “Well, at least we all look alright. That’s always a good sign.” 

“Yeah. Although, I did smack my head against a locker door,” you chuckle, rubbing at the sore spot. 

“Oh dear. Are you alright?” they ask with sincerity. 

“I’m fine. Worst case scenario is I get a small bruise.” 

They chuckle quietly. 

Shuichi steps out from behind you. “E-excuse me but... you remind me of someone. I think it’s the hair but I could be wrong.” 

They pause, then they smirk. “Does Amami ring any bells?” 

“Y-you’re an Amami?” Shuichi gasps, “I’ve heard all about your family! Sometimes, they like to come over and watch us do our photoshoots. I must thank you personally for helping my parents out.” 

You... don’t know who this guy is. Shuichi sounds excited though so that could mean that they’re important. 

Shuichi leans closer to you, “His family lent money to my family so we could afford to use an expensive revenue.” 

“It’s nothing. We just like to help others out,” says Amami. You notice a slight twitch in his fingers just before he crosses his arms in front of his chest. “So, you guys remember how we all ended up here?” 

You shake your head, “No. I’m assuming you don’t know either.” 

“No, afraid not.” 

The three of you go quiet. It’s not like there’s absolutely nothing to discuss, it’s just that the conversation kind of hits a block when everything is answered with no. You’re about to restart the conversation when Amami beats you to it again. 

“Ah, my apologies. I’ve yet to introduce myself properly. My name is Rantaro Amami. I appear to be the Ultimate Affluent Progeny.” He holds out his hand for you to shake. You take it and shake it firmly to match his seriousness. 

_ Affluent Progeny? So... Ultimate Rich Kid? That’s a talent? _

He shakes Shuichi’s hand too although your companion appears to be less accustomed to firm grips. “Well, I’m Kaede Akamatsu, Ultimate Writing Prodigy,” you introduce. You add in a little curtsy as a joke.

“I’m Shuichi Saihara, Ultimate Fash- uh, I mean Model.” 

Rantaro puts his hands on his hips. “I’ve heard of you both but I never imagined we’d meet in these circumstances.” 

You crack a smile, “Did you also get the locker treatment?” 

He shakes his head, “No, it seems that you had a comparably easier time. Imagine my shock to waking up in a bathroom stall.” He grimaces, “Disgusting place. Can’t say I look forward to getting used to it.” 

“What do you mean getting used to it? We’re going to get out of here,” you assert. 

His face goes dark and his voice sounds more like the distant murmur of thunder. “You really think it’s going to be that easy?” 

Shuichi trembles beside you. “Wha-what do you mean by that?” 

“I mean,” Rantaro closes his eyes for a moment, then shakes his head, “never mind. Best not to concern oneself with these sort of thoughts.” 

You have no response to that. Neither does Shuichi. The thunder appears to have subsided again. You honestly wish you could understand what rich boy is thinking. His manner of speech keeps fluctuating as well. ... Well, as long as he doesn’t do anything dangerous, you suppose he’s alright in your book. 

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! **

**Rantaro’s report card has been updated based on your experience with him. **

You say goodbye to Rantaro and walk towards the blue door near him. It’s to the right, the sign says school store. You wonder what kind of stuff a school like this would even sell. Unfortunately, you won’t get to find out that stuff yet. When you turn the handle, it doesn’t budge. 

You mutter a quiet “Damn,” under your breath and let go of the handle. 

You continue down the wall and find a pair of metal doors with a sign that says warehouse. You turn to Shuichi and point to the door. He looks up at the sign and then back at you. He nods. You push on the two glass panes to swing the door open and step inside. This room is far bigger than you expected. 

_ Seriously, this is the school warehouse? _

The towering shelves stretch farther than the eye can see and climb almost all the way to the ceiling. Looking up makes you feel so small. The vines aren’t as rampant here as everywhere else but they do creep along the line of glass panels in the roof. Boxes, tins and containers of every shape and size line the shelves in perfect order. There are lines of gradient colours in harmony with one another. The hall between the shelves is littered with stacked with organised sports equipment ranging from shot put balls to high-jump poles to gym mats. You try to lift the stacked mats but you can barely stand up after tugging on them. How does anyone even get these to the gym? you wonder. Shuichi walks over to the box of shot put balls and crouches beside them. He reaches in and picks one up. He stares at it for a little bit then flinches as he drops it back in with the others. Next to the mats sits a plastic box. Inside the box is a remote-controlled helicopter. 

Several questions come to mind. Why would a school need this? What’s it doing in the warehouse? 

“What kind of school needs a remote-controlled helicopter in the same place as the sports supplies?” you ask out loud.  
“You noticed that too, huh?” a voice says from afar. 

Shuichi gasps and falls on his butt. You hear some clacking footsteps from behind the shelf to your left. 

You stand up and watch them walk between the gaps of the shelf. 

“I don’t know why on Earth they’d need that in an Ultimate Academy but if no-one else is going to use it then I think I will.” 

It’s quiet but the warehouse seems to echo a lot more than you thought. Whoever it is, their voice is soft, low and powerful. They step out to reveal themselves. The voice belongs to a student with blue overalls and a red shirt underneath. Their reddish-brown hair is tied up in short pigtails with red scrunchies. You can’t see their face that well from this distance but their head’s shape is long and defined. They stride towards you with their boots clacking along the floor. It gives them a sort of superior vibe, a kind of all-knowing and confident mixture of both shoe and stride. It’s kind of sexy. They stop beside you and turn to look at the helicopter. Their eyes are deep red and their lashes seem to flutter as they blink. 

“If I took it apart, I might be able to make it into something better,” they say. 

“Are you like a mechanic or something?” you ask. God, your heart is racing. 

They turn to face you. “You could say that. I prefer the term inventor.” They extend their right hand. It’s gloved, fingerless, and leather. 

“Maki Harukawa, Ultimate Inventor.” 

Oh, you’ve heard of her! She made those eyedrop contact lenses some of your friends use. She’s been in a ton of interviews and you’ve seen her pop up in some of your magazines. You vaguely remember some of her backstory, something to do with an orphanage? You take her hand and shake it. She has a tight grip. It almost hurts to hold on. For someone who looks so cute, she’s weirdly strong. 

“Kaede Akamatsu, Ultimate Writing Prodigy,” you say with a smile. 

Maki looks down at Shuichi who is still on the floor. “And you are...?”

Shuichi sits up and tries to get to his feet. He struggles a bit, entering some kind of bridge position while trying not to lean on the rack holding the high-jump poles. Maki, with pity, offers him a hand. He takes it and she pulls him up. 

He shuffles a little bit away from her. “Sh-Shuichi Saihara. I’m supposed to be a fashionista.” 

“Supposed to be?” Maki repeats, cocking an eyebrow. 

“He means he is one. He’s the Ultimate Fashionista,” you clarify. 

Upon closer inspection, you see a pinky-white bow with star patterns hiding underneath her overalls. It’s loosely wrapped around her neck, resting on her collarbone and undershirt. Despite the intimidating presence, you can’t help but think about how cute that is. You wish she’d just untuck it from her overalls though. Maybe you could just... 

She slaps your hand and scowls, “Stop that.” 

After briefly zoning out, you now realise you’ve been reaching for the bow. So completely entranced by it that you forgot that you might have looked like a creep. 

“Sorry.” 

Now everything’s awkward. Damn, way to make her uncomfortable. 

_ She probably thought I was trying to do something worse. _

Maybe you should clarify that? 

“I was just interested in the bow you’re wearing. Why is it tucked in?” 

She glares at you. She looks up and down your figure. “So I don’t get it dirty.” 

“Ah.” You nod. 

It’s awkward again. Guess you ruined your chances of getting closer to her with that stunt. 

_ Real smooth, Kaede. Real smooth. _

“U-uh,” Shuichi begins, “I’ve heard about your inventions but is there one you’re really proud of?” 

Maki’s eyes shift to the side. Her face doesn’t change much but she looks slightly less pissed than before. 

“Unfortunately, that information is classified.” 

“Oh, sorry,” Shuichi readies himself to sink into the back again. 

“But under these circumstances, I think I could let something a little less special slip,” her eyes trail back to him. She looks calmer now. No smile, just blank. 

You wonder what she would look like smiling. _ God, quit being so creepy. _

“I created a pepper spray that can shoot flammable gas and then light it. I gave it to a couple of women I knew and they say they love it.” 

“W-whoa, is that even legal?” Shuichi steps closer but is sure to keep his distance. 

She shrugs, “Not sure.” 

“Well, that does sound cool,” you flash a playful smirk, “you wouldn’t happen to have one on you, would you?” 

Shuichi panics, “Kaede, you’d burn the whole place down!” 

“It was a joke,” Maki sighs. “And no, I don’t keep my inventions on me. Unlike some people, I don’t like to show off my work like a narcissist.” 

“Was that directed at me?” you accuse. 

She goes quiet. 

“Um, Kaede? I don’t think—” 

Maki interrupts him. “If you must know, it wasn’t. I’ve hardly met you so my judgement of you is very limited.” 

You fold your arms across your chest. “I’m sorry I haven’t made the best first impression but—” 

She grabs you by the wrist and pulls you closer to her. “But make no mistake. Cross me and you will regret it. Got it?” 

You nod. 

She lets go and stomps out of the warehouse. Not the most pleasant conversation you’ve ever had but at least Shuichi kind of saved it before it went downhill again. 

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! **

**Maki’s report card has been updated based on your experience with her. **

“What’s up with her?” you say, trying to cheer yourself up.

Shuichi looks at the ground and doesn’t say anything. He ambles around the room, his boots are quiet on the hard floor. He clears his throat but still doesn’t speak. 

You sigh, resting your eyes for a moment. “Should we move on to the next place?” 

He turns to you and makes eye contact for half a second before darting them away again. He’s resting his hands on his elbows, crossed over his chest. You take that as a yes. You start to walk out of the warehouse. You open the door and look back to see if he’s still there. He looks up and starts to shuffle towards you. 

“You okay?” you ask. 

He mutters, “I’m fine, I just feel... strange.” 

You let go of the door and let it swing shut. 

“How so?” 

“I don’t know. I feel like I should be upset but I don’t really have a reason to be. And then that makes me feel scared ‘cause now I don’t know how to feel about anything.” He shakes his head. “Kind of wish we were home right now.” 

You pause. That is pretty strange. You also want to go home but... something is telling you to investigate. You can’t just leave without knowing anything, that would feel like none of it was worth it. Then again, taking into account what Shuichi feels... 

“Let’s look for the outside after we check out the room across from here. We’ll get out of here soon.”

“I hope so,” he mumbles. 

You push open the door and hold it open for Shuichi as you both step out of the warehouse. Across the hall and a little to the left stands a pair of wood doors. The colour makes it look like it was varnished recently but the rest of the building looks abandoned. Were they preparing for your arrivals or something? 

... 

It’s just some doors. After this room, you promised you’d go outside so you want to make this quick. You pull open the door on the right and hand it to Shuichi. You both step through. The floor is... shiny. It’s like staring into a yellow-tinted mirror under your feet. You almost feel bad for ruining it with your shoes. There’s a long table with dark blue strips on the sides and one leg holding it up in the centre. The leg reminds you of the shape of a wine glass which you think is a peculiar thing to think about when designing a table. The chairs also don’t have four legs. Instead, the backs seem to also connect with the underside of the seat so the legs have this sort of looping look to it. 

The weirdest part of this room isn’t the furniture though, it’s how clean the room is despite the thick grass and flowers growing around the sides. Again, there’s a monitor suspended in the corner of the room. You think these things are just everywhere. There seem to be odd circular shapes along the walls. Behind the table, from a distance, you can faintly make out a list of green text. You walk around the table to get a better look. 

‘_Dining hall rules: _

_ You may eat any food you find in the dining hall. _

_ Please take responsibility for all utensils and dishes used and clean up after yourself. _

_ The dining hall will be locked during nighttime. _’ 

Nighttime? That doesn’t sound very specific. And besides, you’re all going to get out of here before nighttime can even happen. You walk back around the table. Shuichi is quick to stand by your side. He starts whispering while staring at the table. 

“Did you say something?” you ask. 

He stops. “Didn’t the list from before say that there were sixteen of us?” 

One at a time, you count the chairs by pointing at them. That’s weird, there are only twelve chairs around the table. You look around but can’t seem to find any stacks of extras nearby. Everything about this room is so weird. Why are the floors polished but the grass is— 

The door shakes. Shuichi jumps. 

“Who’s there?” you call. 

The door creaks open. Nothing happens. Nothing happens for a while. A head pokes out of the gap. Short head, chopped bangs, pointy nose. There’s a mole just beside their mouth. They scan the room with their grassy eyes until they land on you. They squint with suspicion. They then slip back out of the door’s gap. The door closes. A moment passes. You glance at Shuichi. He’s frozen. The air suddenly feels tenser. The door opens. It seems like no-one’s walked through. Then you look down. There’s a really short figure with a round face, rose-tinted cheeks and shaved ginger hair. Dress shirt with the collars popped, a loose, red tie and long pants. They look up at you with dark, round eyes holding heavy bags underneath. 

“Sorry about that, didn’t mean to scare you,” they say. Low and deep. Not the face you thought that would belong to. 

Someone steps out from the door, hands in front of their legs. Their dark hair sticks out from the sides of their head and fall like rings, held up by green bows that look like leaves. They kind of look like a tree with descending branches. They’re wearing a blue kimono with pink flowers falling from and blooming on the swirls. They follow the shorter figure with cautious steps while they just walk at a leisurely pace. 

“Ah, it’s okay. I think it’s normal to be frightened in a place like this,” you smile, relaxing your shoulders. 

Shuichi seems tenser than before. “W-why are you staring at me like that?” 

The shorter of the two turns to face their partner. “Tenko, what did I say about the intense glaring?” 

“We agreed I could glare at anyone I deemed dangerous,” they say with grit teeth, “he’s definitely up to no good. I can feel it.” 

“Tenko—”

“He’s probably done some horrible things in the past.” 

“Tenko.”

“Like watch girls undress or download pornography.”

“I-I can assure you that I’ve done neither of those things!” Shuichi shouts nervously.

“So, my name is Kaede Akamatsu and I’m the Ultimate Writing Prodigy,” in an attempt to save this conversation, you speak up, “How about you guys?”

The shorter one clears their throat. “Right, sorry. Ryoma Hoshi.” 

Tenko stands up straight and closes their eyes. “In and out, in and out,” they mumble to themselves. 

“What are you doing now?” Shuichi asks, scooting closer towards you. 

They shout, “I’m relaxing!” 

“Clearly,” Ryoma rolls his eyes. 

“I’m Tenko Chabashira. The Ultimate Traditional Dancer.” 

“A-and I’m Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Fashionista.” 

“Wait, you mean the actual Shuichi Saihara?” Ryoma asks. 

“U-um, yes?” 

He nods, “Huh, that’s pretty cool. I’ve seen you in my girlfriend’s magazines,” he softly chuckles, “to tell you the truth, sometimes I get jealous of how much time she spends staring at you.” 

“Ah, w-well, thank you?” 

“Actually, if you wouldn’t mind, could you sign something for me? She wouldn’t believe me otherwise.” He digs through his pockets and turns them inside out but he doesn’t seem to be carrying anything. 

“Um... yeah, sure! I-I can sign something. Just when we get the tools to,” Shuichi smiles. 

There’s this aura of pride to him you hadn't been found yet. 

_ Wait... _

“Ryoma, you didn’t say what talent you had,” you say. 

“Oh, I was hoping you didn’t notice,” he sighs. 

“I-is your talent something to be ashamed of?” Shuichi asks. 

“Worse,” he smirks, “I don’t remember what it is.” 

You gasp, “What? How do you forget something like that?” 

“Exactly what I said,” Tenko says, shaking her head. “Thought he was a dirty liar too. All men are. So I made him prove it and he’s right.” 

“How would you be able to prove something like that?” asks Shuichi. 

Tenko slowly starts to aimlessly wave her arms around her. “It’s all in the spirit. Spirits tell no lies and I could sense a great disturbance inside of his soul.” 

“Wow, how did you do that?” you ask, excitedly. 

“I—” she looks down at Ryoma who is shaking his head— “it’s an intuition sort of thing.” 

You slump your shoulders, “I see.”

Maybe she’s just hiding something embarrassing. That isn’t to say that you should force her to admit it but it does pique your curiosity a little too much. Still, you wonder what talent Ryoma could have. You hope he finds out soon. 

**Obtained Friendship Fragments! **

**Ryoma and Tenko’s report cards have been updated based on your experience with them. **

You leave the two to investigate the dining hall for themselves. Shuichi carefully makes his way around Tenko like a bomb ready to explode. His smile is plastered and scared. He’s already so sweaty by the time you reach the door. 

“C-can we go outside now? Please?” 

“Of course, I did promise you that,” you say. 

You don’t know where the exit is. The whole school makes you feel so squeezed, you even feel yourself losing breath from nocebo alone. Like the place is trying to swallow you whole inside of its dull walls. This feels like before with the pad. 

... 

_ Oh, the pad! Maybe it has a map on it. _

You slip the pad out of your bag and press the button without hesitating this time. It gives you a loading screen with a white bear with an odd red shape inside. It spins with the text MONOPAD rotating along with it. It lights up with different icons on a red and black background. The right side of the screen also says the word MONOPAD on it. You assume this is the name of the tablet in question. Hovering over each option displays a brief description of it. Each icon is framed with black and white bear design. You tap the first one on the left; the pink net of a sphere. ‘MAP. Review the layout of the academy. This will help you find specific locations.’ You tap the map and watch it slide to a new screen. It has the floor layout and where you are on it. It also says which floor you’re on at the top. School building, first floor. Shuichi looks over at your monopad too, even though he already owns one. 

_ So if we follow the map, we should go back towards the bathrooms and continue down the hall until we reach the next room. _

You look up from the pad with a gleeful smile. “Let’s go, I’ll lead the way.” 

“Thank you,” he mumbles. 

You spin on your toes and head back down through the hall. You turn towards the bathrooms and keep walking straight. You have this weird sense of determination about finding the exit. Weird but welcome. There’s a set of bars in the way. You look down at your monopad. There are no bars in the way. You assume it doesn’t account for its own obstacles. To your right, another gate with barbed wires keeping it tight shut. You can’t see much else in the dark. 

“Great,” you sigh. 

Shuichi looks at the pad again. His finger hovers over the map. “W-wait, if we turn left, we can walk around the closed-off bit.” 

You look at where he’s pointing. Yeah, you guess you could walk around but it’s so inconvenient! 

“Alright, fine,” you whine. 

It may be a bit exaggerated as you drag your shoes along the ground It’s annoying, tiring, perilous. On this quest, surely nothing but horror can be found. A crushing force could be waiting for you behind these corners. 

_ Or maybe I’m just being needlessly dramatic. _

Once you reach the other side, you continue down the hall and find another set of nauseating stairs ahead of you. Before that, another LED sign that reads Classroom. You know Shuichi wants to find an exit but you’re curious about the classroom. It sounds like someone is inside. You approach the classroom doors. You turn to Shuichi. He looks around at the barbed wire with a wince. He looks uncomfortable in this building. You hand him your monopad and tell him to keep going. You’ll catch up to him later. He takes his monopad from his shirt and then hands yours back. You feel kind of stupid for doing that. 

Regardless, he heads down the stairs while staring at the map on his screen. You slowly open the door. You’re cautious not to make too much sound but you also don’t want to scare whoever is inside. 

“Hello?” you say. 

“—my bad luck happens to also bring good luck that’s equivalent to it.” 

“So when something really bad happens, something really good comes after?” 

“You see, my luck works in a cycle sort of way. Where there is hope, despair will always try to overcome it. And then, the greatest hope will shine from that!” 

“I see that but I am a little confused about how this could potentially be the hope or good luck part. I mean, we all got kidnapped and taken to an abandoned school. I am all for looking on the bright side but I’m failing to see the hope or good luck in all of this.” 

“If you’re who you say you are then that means we must be in the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles. What’s more hopeful than a class full of the world’s most talented high schoolers? Nothing, that’s what. Surely, I must be the luckiest person alive right now.” 

“I don’t quite get it but if it keeps you positive then I support your views!” 

You seem to have walked in on a conversation. The one talking about hope is a rather short student with long, stringy, blue hair, glasses and pale skin. They’re wearing a blue vest with polka dots and a cerulean, long-sleeved shirt underneath. Their skirt is ankle-length and they don’t appear to be wearing shoes. The one listening is wearing a thick vest with lots of pockets and a white, long-sleeved shirt underneath. Their hair is white, spiky and styled to the right. They appear to be wearing tracksuit pants and military boots. They’re holding their chin in a thinking pose with gloved hands. You step closer into the room.

“Hello?” you repeat. 

The two stop talking and look at you. 

The hope one smiles widely. “Ah, you must be another Ultimate! Gosh, I really am the luckiest girl alive. I’m just eager to see what despair will try to crush us all.” 

You stare at them for a bit. You’re... not sure where to go from there. 

“Hello,” the other steps forward with a softer smile. You take a closer look at their face. On the right side of their face, they have a scar running from their jaw to the bag under their eye. “My name is Kibou Iidabashi, the Ultimate Soldier. Please, do not be alarmed as I do not plan to hurt anyone. I hope we can get along.” 

“I’m Tsumugi Shirogane, the Ultimate Lucky Student. Well, it’s hardly a talent. I shouldn’t even be compared to you guys.” 

“You shouldn’t put yourself down like that! Even if you think you’re more normal than the rest of us, that shouldn’t mean you’re less than everyone else,” you say with your hands on your hips. 

“Ah, spoken like a true Ultimate,” Tsumugi starts to blush and her glasses fall down her nose, “such greatness. Is this how it feels to meet the Gods themselves? I’m getting real Athena vibes from you.” 

“Tsumugi, I think it would be more appropriate to let her introduce herself to us.” Kibou freezes. “A-ah, pardon me. I didn’t mean to assume your pronouns.” 

“No no, it’s okay. I go by she/her. And I’m Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Writing Prodigy.” 

“I see. I’m not used to the standards of normal society and I do not wish to make anyone uncomfortable. I go by he/him or they/them, by the way.” 

“She/her, they/them!” Tsumugi shouts. 

You curl your brows, puzzled. “How did you become so conscious about pronouns if you’re a soldier?” 

“Oh, I’m less of a soldier and more of a nurse who happens to be on a battlefield but I think the title would be too long. The pronoun thing was mainly due to my time in training,” he lets out a small laugh, “I accidentally called one of my fellow soldiers a man when they were really a woman. Now it’s one of the first questions I ask when taking someone in when they’re wounded. It helps keep them awake.” 

“You serve in wars? But you’re so young!” 

“Yes, youngest one in the course. My father signed me up for... some reason. After I passed training, I fought in a couple of battles. I spent most of my time carrying people back to the real nurses and patched up the ones I couldn’t carry.” 

Tsumugi sits on a table and swings her legs underneath it. 

“And what about you, Tsumugi?” you ask. 

“Hm? What about me?” 

“What does it mean to be an Ultimate Lucky Student?” 

She pushes her round glasses up her face. One lens appears to be cracked and practically useless. You also notice that she has pinned a horseshoe and a four-leafed clover to the right of her vest along with a pin of a black cat on the left. The number eight is written on the side with the lucky charms and a four written on the other. 

“I was just explaining this to Kibou. Everyone in Japan got entered in a raffle and I was picked randomly. Of course, getting picked could be argued to be good luck but I think that was actually bad luck. If I’ve been keeping track of my cycle then we’re currently in the good luck state now when we woke up here.” 

“Your luck is a cycle?” you are a bit sceptical about this, “Is it possible for it to be that predictable?” 

“Of course! Luck dictates every event in my life in every way imaginable. It must have started at birth when I was abandoned by my parents at the hospital. That was the first bad luck. Then I was given good luck when I was adopted by a rich man with a whole library in his house. That was the first good luck. Ever since then, I’ve lived in a state of constant good and bad luck.” 

“A-abandoned? Rich man?” you stutter. “That’s some pretty heavy stuff!” 

“I know, what a backstory, right? Sounds like something from a book,” she gasps, “not to compare my existence to the incredible works of the Ultimate Writing Prodigy!” 

You laugh nervously, “My books aren’t that great. Besides, they’re different genres altogether so comparisons would be impossible anyway.” 

Tsumugi leaps off the table and walks closer towards you. “I’ve read all of your books, we had them in my father’s place before he died of cancer. I love your work. It brings me such joy to read something written by someone as talented as you.” 

“Did you actually like what was written or just who wrote it?” Kibou asks. 

“Both! I found the characters to be so unique and likable. I must know, what inspired you? Specifically for ‘_Till the Tides Come Dancing_'? I know it’s cliche but it’s my favourite.” 

Your inspiration? Actually, you don’t like talking about that specific one’s inspiration. You mean, Kibou might be more accepting but you’re kind of scared of anyone who isn’t you. You could lie if you really don’t want to talk about it. Tsumugi leans forward, grinning in anticipation with her big, round, blue eyes. You notice an orange sash around her waist. Her collar bones exposed from her shirt being slightly too big. Her lips are dark and- _ Keep it together, Kaede! _

You shrug as casually as you can, “I read some Shakespeare somewhere and I suppose that inspired me.” 

Tsumugi’s smile simmers a bit. She probably thinks you’re either boring or she knows you’re a bad liar. 

“Oh,” she says. Her tone is disappointed. 

Kibou clears his throat. “Forgive me but I don’t think I’ve ever read any of your novels. Could I have a look at one sometime? Maybe when we get out of here?” 

You pump your fists. “Yeah, sure you can!” 

He places a hand near his heart, “I look forward to it.” 

**Obtained Friendship Fragments! **

**Tsumugi and Kibou’s report cards have been updated based on your experience with them. **

“It was nice to meet you both but I think I need to go. I told my friend to go on and find the exit without me,” you say. 

“Exit? Like the entrance hall?” Kibou tilts his head, “Isn’t that closed off by iron gates?” 

“I mean, he went down the stairs. Is that not where the exit is?” 

Tsumugi looks to the side, “No, I’m pretty sure that’s where the basement is. We went down but the atmosphere was so heavy that we had to come back up again.” 

_ Oh no. _

“I have to go,” you say, walking backwards into the door. “Nice meeting you, see you later!” 

You fling open the door and rush to the stairs. It’s the same dizzying feeling you got from the first set. No time to dwell on it though. 

“Shuichi?” you call out. 

The walls are dull and intimidating. There’s no natural light coming from anywhere. Just artificial red light coming from the bottom of the walls. You can barely see ahead of your own feet. You call out Shuichi’s name again. There’s no response. 

To your right is a sliding door with scratches along the wood and one thin strip of dirty glass near the handle. You walk towards it and pull it open. 

“Hello? Shuichi?” you say more quietly. 

You take your first step into the room and start to cough. It smells so musty, you think you just inhaled pure dust. There are books stacked in every possible surface of the room from the tall shelves to the top of the tall shelves to the floor. Most of the stacks lean uncomfortably far like more messed up towers of Pisa. There’s a glowing globe next to a smaller bookshelf with, oddly enough, no books in it. This room is making you feel a little annoyed, possibly due to your writing background. Staring blankly at a shelf is a short, chubby student with a dark blue jacket and white dress shirt. Chopped but messy red hair tilted to the side and a furry tiger beanie on their head. See-through pants with red lines, they also appear to be wearing red leggings underneath. And... is that a tail? 

“Excuse me, have you seen my friend?” you ask. 

They don’t respond. You walk closer. 

“He’s kind of tall and has dyed hair and a spotty tie. Have you seen him anywhere?” 

Still nothing. 

_ Can they even hear me? _

“Hey! I’m Kaede, have you seen my friend around?” 

Nada. 

You huff and walk toward them. Before you can say anything, you hear them making snoring noises. 

_ Are they... asleep? _

You tap their shoulder. They stir. You tap a little more. 

“Nyehh, what?” they tiredly moan. 

“Sorry but... have you seen my friend?” 

They rub at their eyes. “Friend?” 

“Yes. He’s kind of tall and wears a tie. Have you seen him?” 

“Tie? Tall?” they yawn, “Don’t think so, sorry.” 

You sigh. “It’s alright, thanks anyway.” You turn to leave. 

“Wait, hold on,” they groan while cracking their back, “I haven’t talked to anyone in a while but I’m pretty sure we say our names, right?” 

You turn to face them. “I... suppose. It’s what I’ve been doing all day.” 

“I’m Himiko Yumeno, the Ultimate Artist.” 

“Kaede Akamatsu, Ultimate Writing Prodigy.” 

There’s a pause. 

“Welp, I think that was it,” they say with a shrug. 

“Before I forget, pronouns?” 

“Oh, she/her. Although, I’m alright by he/him too. I’m fine with a lot of things. I don’t think about it unless I’m roleplaying. You?” 

“She/her.” 

She nods. 

There’s another pause. 

“So, you’re the surrealist artist, right?” you struggle to sound casual. 

“Yeah, I am,” she sticks her hands in her jacket pockets. “You’re the romance writer, right?” 

“Yup, that’s me.” 

“I liked ‘_Till the Tides Come Dancing_'. Reminds me of something. Like me in middle school, I think.” 

“Thank you. I liked your painting with the girl standing upside down from the ceiling. It made me emotional.” 

“Yeah, that was a weird dream.” 

“Dream?” 

“I like to paint based on my dreams. Sometimes, I sculpt but that takes too much energy and figuring out if I wanna use clay or marble or wax is such a pain.” 

“Is that why you were sleeping just then?” 

She wipes the goop from her eyes and yawns again. “Sometimes, I just wake up in the middle of the night to paint and then I pass out again. I’d like to sleep in but y’know, work is gotta get done.” 

Taking into account your sleep schedule, you think you might be the luckier part of the artistic community. The worst thing you do is put off writing to watch T.V. At least you don’t wake up in the middle of the night and then exhaust yourself back to sleep. In any case, you’ve learned something new today. 

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! **

**Himiko’s report card has been updated based on your experience with her. **

You say goodbye to Himiko but she’s already drifted off again. You can’t blame her, you guess. 

You head back into the hall and start speed walking to the left side. You can barely see ahead of you thanks to the poor lighting. You reach a pair of wooden doors with golden engravings in the middle, mirrored on each door. The handles are in a wavy shape. 

You hold one and push the door open. “Shuichi? You in here?”

The carpet floors feel akin to something you’d find in a bowling alley; saturated colours in an almost disgusting square pattern. There appear to be several arcade games lined along the walls of the room but some of them are crawling with tree roots. The DDR machine’s screen is cracked, glass spilling all over the dance pad. There’s a shelf in the corner as well as a long table with three fold-up chairs. 

_ Is this a game room? What’s this doing in a school? _ you wonder. 

“Goddammit! Where the hell are they?!” Someone shouts from the corner of the room. They stand up from behind the table and place their hands on their hips. 

“Excuse me, have you seen—” 

They turn to face you, “Now what? First that virgin loser came screaming in, now you. Who the hell are you anyway?” 

They certainly are conspicuous, that’s one way to describe them. Pink corset with blue highlights around the edges and gold strings on the front. Hanging from the strings, a golden heart. They’re wearing a three-layered, pink, poofy skirt with white frills and two chokers made of what seems to be barbed wire. Their hair is stringy and blonde with pink dye at the bottom, tied up in twisty drills with a baby blue scrunchie. Well, it kind of sucks that someone as loud as this person shares the same hair colours as you. 

You step into the centre of the room. “I’m Kaede Akamatsu. Have you seen my friend around?” 

“That depends on what your friend looks like. Did he look like he was ready to piss his skinny jeans? ‘Cause that’s who came running in a couple of minutes ago.” They step out from the table and stare you down with a cocky grin, “Gotta say, not impressed by your taste. You got some kinda beta/alpha kink thing goin’ on? Ha, fucking boy toy probably loves getting dominated.” 

You have to step back from that. “What? No, of course not! Who are you to even suggest something like that to someone you’ve barely met?” 

They tense up, “Wha- what are you getting pissed at me for? I-I was just kidding!” 

“Well, it’s not very funny. Your vulgarity is uncalled for, who are you anyway?” 

“Y-you don’t recognise me?” they start sweating uncontrollably, “I-I thought my good looks would at least reach the plebian middle ground.” 

“Spit it out already.” 

They straighten their back and roll their hands over their skirt, probably to make their hands less clammy. “I’m the lovely lucky lady even lady luck would love to be! I’m the one, the only, the legendary Ultimate Gambler herself— Miu Iruma!” 

_ Ultimate Gambler, huh? Wouldn’t that mean she’d have to be good at bluffing? _

“I know you plebs love to hear about what amazing stuff we do so I’ll keep it brief. I’ve entered and won a lotta tournaments. They call me the ‘Queen of Liars’ down there.” 

You think that doesn’t sound right but you don’t know enough about the underground gambling community to dispute it. 

“First of all, I’m not a pleb. I’m the same age as you and we’re both Ultimates so if anything, I’m your equal.” You fold your arms, “Second of all, I don’t appreciate you insulting my friend when he’s scared and alone. I don’t care how famous or good at poker you are, you have no right to treat anyone that way!” 

She cowers again, “J-jeez, all I wanted to do was find a pack of cards and maybe some cash. I n-never wanted the lecture.” 

“You were looking for cards?” 

She pulls herself together. 

“Yeah, what kinda gambler doesn’t have a pack of cards on hand? Seriously, I’ll fuckin’ own your ass the instant the cards come out. That part about the Queen of Liars was true, after all.” 

_ So... is all of this an act? Is she bluffing right now? God, I hope so. _

“By the way,” she struts up to you and puffs her chest, “I hope you’re not too intimidated by me given my... superior womanly charms. I may be a Queen of Liars but I’m also known as ‘Lusty Lady Luck’ and ‘Royal Bust’.” 

“Somehow, I doubt that,” you sigh. 

“Hey, don’t go makin’ me your enemy, bitch,” she barks, “it’s not my fault my body, mind and luck challenges you and your beta boy.” 

“For the last time, he’s just my friend!” 

“A-alright! D-don’t startle me t-too much or you’ll swing the next g-game against my favour,” she looks down at the floor, “P-please?”

Jeez, she’s a weird one. You pray that it’s all just an act. 

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! **

**Miu’s report card has been updated based on your experience with her.**

_ That was mentally draining _. 

You turn around and exit the room. “Shuichi?” you shout into the hall. 

You place your fingers on the wall and trace your steps back to the stairs. The wall disappears. Somehow, you failed to notice a long strip of the hallway between the two rooms. You call out for Shuichi again. You can hear a faint whimpering at the end. 

You start jogging. “Shuichi, are you okay?” You reach the end to see Shuichi curled up in a ball. 

He’s cradling his monopad and shivering. 

“Oh my God, I am so sorry,” you crouch down to his level. 

He doesn’t respond. 

“Let’s get out of here,” you quietly say. 

You place your hand onto his. He flinches. His hand is a lot colder than yours. 

“It’s okay, we’re going back upstairs,” you reassure him. 

“S-sorry.” 

“For what?” 

“For making you come down to find me.” 

You shake your head. “I shouldn’t have sent you down on your own. It’s my fault.” 

He takes your hand with his own and you pull him up to his feet. Yeah, this atmosphere is super oppressing, isn’t it? The darkness looms so high, it threatens to crush you under its weight. Like the ceiling will come crashing down at any second, the dread of even breathing in this place feels wrong. One wrong step and the entire school will fall right onto your head. Your heart is heavy with grief when there is nothing to mourn. Your head is light with air that can’t travel down to this layer of hell. The abyss that threatens to swallow you whole surrounds every atom, every fibre of your being and it calls for your soul. You could drop to your knees and beg for this dread to disappear but no-one could hear you. The air is slowly being sucked out of your lungs and pushing down on your feet with each step away from the darkest part of the hall. It doesn’t want you to leave, it wants you to feel this dread forever. It’s alive, in a sense. A living, breathing basement dead-set on destroying the very being within you. The bare, cold darkness of space would be less frightening than this. 

Somehow, you and Shuichi make it to the gaudy stairs. You don’t remember the trek down the hall nor the trip up the stairs. Everything about this school is already so goddamn weird. How long have you been here for? Probably too long. You let go of Shuichi’s hand. He’s still shivering but he looks a lot better than he did before. The sunlight through the window shows just how pale he’s become since entering the basement. He apologises again, you take the blame again. Determined to find the exit this time, you check your monopad again. There doesn't appear to be any other way out. All of the pink bits are the exits but the only pink things you can see on the map are the stairs you came down from and the ones you just came up from. 

“H-hold on, what’s that?” Shuichi says, pointing at a line on the screen. You didn’t see it before but the area you had to walk around before has a small, thin, pink line leading out somewhere. “Isn’t that blocked off by gates?” he asks. 

You look up from the monopad. If you squint, you can barely see where the gate should be. You start walking closer to it. You pass by the classroom, you can’t hear anyone inside. Either Kibou and Tsumugi left or they’ve gone deathly quiet. You’d like to believe in the former. You can see the gates more clearly. Or rather, the lack of them. Where there were gates, suddenly there are none. You start walking faster. Sure enough, no gates stand in between you and this room you previously had to go around. Huh, that’s weird. You stop and turn so Shuichi can catch up. He looks up at the gates suspended just under the doorway. 

“Did... did someone open this for us?” he mumbles. There are four benches in the room in total; two on the west and east sides. You can tell that it’s west and east because of the LED signs above the doorways labelling them. You just came out of the east side. The back of the room has another monitor which you’ve come to expect from every room at this point. Across the monitor is a pair of doors with a sign; it reads ‘SOUTH’. 

You shrug, “Who knows?” You take a step inside. “But, judging from the look of this room, I think this is the entrance hall.” 

“Then that means we can go outside?” Shuichi’s voice rises in excitement. 

“I think so but...” 

You want to say something feels wrong about this. You want to say you’re suspicious but you’re also so close. Maybe what Rantaro said is getting to your head. Would it be that easy? Then there were those rules on the corkboard upstairs. Mainly the part about an opening ceremony. Would there be students outside? Surely, you would’ve seen everyone at this point. You have been rather thorough, if unintentionally from the basement. And all of this is too convenient. The gates are closed when you go downstairs but then open up when you come back up? It feels like it’s supposed to lull you into a false sense of security. 

But you don’t say that to Shuichi. “Yeah, I think so,” you say instead. 

He waits for you to make a move. Truth be told, you kind of wish he’d do it first but that’s probably going to take longer than if you just did it now. You walk towards the door. You stand in front of the door. You... you can’t open it. 

“Is something wrong?” Shuichi asks. 

“No no, I’m fine,” you have to psych yourself up. 

Beyond this door is the outside. Not only will you fulfil a promise you gave to Shuichi but you will take the first step into escaping this place. You will go home and have a rest and then finish off your drafts. Actually, you’ll probably just chill with trash T.V again. 

_ Sounds like a plan,_ you think to yourself. You place your hand on the door and push it open. 

Upon opening the doors, you are immediately greeted by... something gorgeous. 

Serene skies. 

Divine daylight. 

Gentle, whispering winds. 

And— 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” 

Panicked, Shuichi runs out and stands beside you. 

You stare up into the big, blue sky. If you thought the sky wasn’t unreachable enough before then the giant dome surrounding the school just crushed the last shred of hope you had left. 

You thought you were prepared for disappointment. You thought you were okay for being suspicious. You thought it would be unreasonable not to have at least some doubt given the situation. You have never been more disappointed in your life. You’re at a loss for words. Half a world high and another half wide, the glass dome stretches from behind the school to far beyond where the eye can see. It towers like nothing you’ve ever seen before. It makes the ground rise from under your feet and pull you in. 

Somehow, it’s more oppressing than the basement because at least you knew which way was up. Framed like a birdcage and presumably also functioning like one. It teases with buildings just beyond the glass wall like cruelly waving a bone just out of reach of a pair of particularly hungry dogs. You’re already drooling like the bitch they’re trying to make of you. 

“Oh,” is all Shuichi can say. His face drains of the last bit of colour left in him. If he could, you’re sure his hair would turn grey. He stares down at his own hands like they’re the only things that make sense to him. 

You don’t blame him. If it weren’t for your prior doubt, you also would have broken down. You were right to be afraid, to be very afraid. Because in the end, Rantaro was right. You were wrong to think things would be that easy. It never is. In no story ever told is anything ever that easy. Even if you aren’t a protagonist, there was no way in hell that being kidnapped and taken to an abandoned school would ever end with you just walking out before anything disastrous happening. 

_ When did I get so pessimistic? _

... 

That’s actually quite a good question. You guess the atmosphere of the school has been bringing you down. Some kind of feeling, it has a word. It’s that hopelessness kind of feeling. It’s on the tip of your tongue... 

_ I can look that up later. Right now... _

You dash to the right as fast as you can. Shuichi calls. You ignore him. You hop over benches and wade through thick grass. Evade the trees, push past branches. You just keep running and running. You reach the cage. You stop running before you can smack into it. You pound on the glass. It sounds thick. 

THONK! THONK! THONK! 

“Someone! Help us!” you scream. 

You turn your body to hit it harder. 

THONK!! THONK!! THONK!! THONK!! 

“Please! Help us!” 

Desperate cries erupt from your throat. All the wind from your lungs pours from your mouth. It sounds pathetic. 

Thonk! Thonk! 

“Someone! Anyone! Please,” you’re starting to lose your breath, “help us. Please...” 

At this point, you’re weakly slapping the wall. 

Thunk... thunk... thunk... 

“We’re trapped... inside... this huge... cage...” 

You start sliding down the glass. Your hand is the closest thing to the outside world and it’s caught between hell and 10 inches of glass. Your fingers stain and smudge it as you fall to your knees. 

“Hahhh... hahhh... hahh...” Your hand slips from the glass and falls onto your knee. You lean, panting and sweating. You can’t breathe. Short breaths. Head spinning. Throat hurts. Chest hurts. Everything hurts. 

You fall back. The grass is soft. Breaths are easier now.  
“Hahh... hahh...”  
The world is still spinning. Half of it, anyway. Not even that. You can only see maybe a sixth of it. The cage has become the world now. The clouds drifting, unphased by the separation of its own planet from itself as if it were floating in some dream far away from here. 

It’s unbearable. 

“Have you finished your little tantrum now?” a childishly whiny voice asks. 

You roll your eyes farther up. Someone with strangely wavy hair is leaning over you with their hands on their thighs. They’re grinning like a kid who just watched someone fall down the stairs and is trying not to laugh too hard. Large eyes, short and rounded face. 

_ How old is this person? _

You sit up and roll onto your knees again. Using the cage, you bring yourself to your feet and turn around. They’re standing up straight now but they still aren’t all that tall. Around their neck, a black and white checkered scarf and a necklace made of undone string and a paperclip holding a red jewel. Underneath a light yellow cardigan sat a bright, saturated yellow midriff top and a shoelace holding up purple pants that barely go past their knees. They’re wearing... white socks... with flip flops. You don’t think you’ve ever been more confused by a person’s fashion sense. 

“What do you want?” you ask. Your voice is a little raspy. 

They fold their arms behind their head, “I was just wondering how long you were planning to do that for. You looked pretty stupid and I wanted to know if I should bother with popcorn.” 

“Have you got any better ideas?” 

They look off to the left, “Not doing what you’re doing. Think I might just deal with what we’ve got and worry about everything else later.” 

You fold your arms in front of your chest, “There is no way you’re this calm about the situation.” 

“Are you willing to bet on that?” they tap their finger to their chin, smirking with mischief, “How about I give you a free fortune if you’re right?” 

You roll your eyes, “And if I’m not?” 

“I get to take your organs!” 

You want to shout WHAT?! but at this point, you’ve got no shout left in you. Instead, you just stare at him with surprised confusion. Your mouth hangs open, your throat crackles as if you were planning to say something. Though, you don’t. 

They slap their hands to their cheeks, “Nee-heehee! Just kidding!” 

You sigh, not sure if it’s for relief or out of annoyance. 

“Figured,” you say. 

“Huh? You weren’t scared? Not even a little?” 

“Well, no. Not really. Unless you were going to admit you were the Ultimate Butcher or something.” 

“Oh, but I could be,” their voice goes low. It’s weird to hear it so threatening and commanding of the air. 

_ Alright, if I’ve learned anything here it’s that the Ultimate Butcher would be wearing an apron with blood on it. _

“But you’re not. That’s another joke, right?” 

They drop their shoulders and go comedically sluggish. “Aw maaan, you got me.” 

You feel proud for getting that so easily. 

“Oh, but I do need your organs. That part was true,” they quickly add. 

“What?” you suddenly feel your voice coming back, “No, you can’t have my organs!” 

“Aww, seriously? But I have to pay back the mafia and I’ve heard that they sell pretty well on the black market.” 

You can no longer tell if they’re joking. You know that Ultimates can tend to have extravagant lives based on what you’ve seen thus far but this is somehow the least probable. 

“You’re lying, aren’t you?” 

“I’ve been lying about something,” they say, keeping it as vague as possible. 

“What if that bit was a lie too?” 

“Well, how do you plan to prove that?” 

“I don’t need to prove anything, I think that you’re lying because that whole thing sounds too ridiculous to be real!” 

They fold their arms behind their back and lean onto one foot, “I guess you’ll never know for certain ‘cause I’m not telling youuuuu!” 

You pinch the bridge of your nose in frustration. “Was the reason for you coming here to mess with me?” 

“Actually, I just thought you needed some time away from screaming at nothing. So now, you’re screaming at me!” 

“And who are you?” 

They reach into their pants pocket and pull out a packet of tarot cards, a purple pouch and a beaded bracelet. “I’m Kokichi Oma, the Ultimate Clairvoyant!” 

_ Clairvoyant? How would that talent even be judged? _

“Right,” you nod, “I’m Kaede Aka—” 

“Oh, I know. You’re the Ultimate Writing Prodigy.” 

“Aha, so you’ve heard of me then.” 

“Not really. I see your books around but I’ve never read any of them. Romance stuff isn’t my shtick, y’know?” Kokichi slips the bracelet onto their left wrist. Your left, you mean. 

“I took a quick meditating session and heard your name in the astral projection. Helped me find you too.” 

“So, do you know what I’m going to ask next?” you say that as more of a joke. Of course, they wouldn’t— 

“He/him. Or they/them. I don’t care.” He grins, “Did I blow your mind? If you admit it, I’ll give you a free palm reading session.” 

You wouldn’t consider it a blown mind thing and more of a cool surprise. You are a bit sceptical on the palm reading thing though, considering everything else he’s said. 

“I’ll think about it,” you sigh, a small laugh escaping you. 

“Hm, alright. But don’t wait too long,” he brings his finger to his lips, “I hear that livers are selling pretty high this time of year.” 

“I... uh...” 

“Kidding! Livers are too easy to come by, it’s the lungs that are so tricky to get.” 

What a weird guy. He’s got the face and behaviour of a kid but the mind of a teenager. You thought this was no time to be joking around but... this has made you feel a lot better. 

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! ** **  
** **Kokichi’s report card has been updated based on your experience with him.**

You wonder if you’ve still left Shuichi all by himself outside of the school. Maybe you should go find him now. Your body doesn’t feel as tired or sore as it did a couple of minutes ago. 

“I think I should go find the partner I abandoned,” you say. 

“Partner? You’ve already got a partner?” he smiles with mischief, “My my, does being a romance writer really have those kinds of perks?” 

“No, I mean friend. He’s just a friend.” 

His face drops back to blank, “Oh.” 

“Yeah.” 

“So, where did you ditch him?” 

“Somewhere outside of the school, he should probably still be there.” 

“Tell you what, I’ll be your new partner until we find him. Can’t have you running off on your own again,” he shoves his hands into his pockets and leans back. 

“I guess that’s okay,” you say with a shrug. 

“Great! Lead the way,” he shouts with enthusiasm. He jumps to your side with his hands on his waist. 

Well, this isn’t that bad. 

You both walk away from the wall and back towards the school. You walk around the benches, under branches and stick mainly to the footpath. Bricks in crosshatches forming large red and white squares, separated by larger bricks framing them. The paths looked dirty and used but despite that, there seem to be renovations being made to the school. 

“What even is this place?” you mutter to yourself. 

“Hm?” Kokichi hums. 

“The inside of the school looks abandoned and overrun by plants but it’s still being renovated and has new looking technology inside. This place doesn’t make any sense.” 

He shrugs, “Maybe not.” 

“Are you still not caring about any of this?” 

“It’s not so much as me not caring. It’s more of looking on the bright side, I guess.” 

“What bright side?” 

He folds his arms behind his head, “Well, for starters, nobody’s tried to attack us yet. We’ve been given air and social interaction and our basic clothes.” 

“That is true,” you sigh as if you’ve been defeated. 

“Plus, some of us have pretty shitty lives outside of this place,” he smirks, “still running from the mafia and all.” 

“That is absolutely not true.” “You don’t know that for sure.” 

You scoff, “Right.” 

You make it to the front of the school and, not surprisingly, Shuichi is not there. You look around but can’t seem to find him. 

“What does your partner look like?” Kokichi asks. 

“Tall, kind of lanky, half of his face is covered by hair...” 

You look to your left. There’s a giant box you usually would only see on big boats blocking that pathway. There’s a monitor near it too. The space in between the box and the fences isn’t enough to climb through and you figure that Shuichi would probably be too nervous to go around it. 

“He could have gone straight ahead,” you say to yourself. 

Kokichi starts walking straight ahead. You roll your eyes and follow him. The grass behind the fences seems to get taller the farther along you go. There are random boxes scattered around the place but their designs confuse you more than anything else. On the side facing you, there seem to be latches connecting a steel plate to the rest of the box with some kind of big button in the middle of the plate. The rest of it looks like a normal box, it reminds you of the roofs you would see in sheds. 

On the right, there’s a pretty big building with wooden beams connecting the two sides. It’s light blue and, if you’re honest, kind of ugly. The word DORMITORY is stamped three times on the front; one on the left side, the right side and on one of the wooden beams. You’re not sure if Shuichi would go inside something this gross and suspicious-looking. 

“Hey, Kokichi, should we—” You turn around but he’s not there. 

_ Great, now I’ve lost two of them. _

You start walking around and calling out for Kokichi and Shuichi like a mother who’s just lost her kids in the supermarket. You know he couldn’t have gone that far but there’s something nerve-wracking about even the courtyard. 

“Ugh, this sucks! This super, ultra, mega sucks!” someone whines from somewhere else.

You walk towards the voice and find a path leading to three more boxes blocking it up. Standing among them is someone with really green hair. You can’t see most of their face but their skirt sticks out at their hips. It looks like it’s been through a shredder. 

You approach them. “Hello?” you call to them. 

They turn around to face you. Half of their face is covered by their hair which also has a headband with spikes sticking out. They have a piercing on their bottom lip and eyebrow. They’re also wearing black lipstick. Around their neck is a black choker and a shirt with black collars. They have a loose, purple tie that falls to the end of their dress shirt. The sleeve appears to be frilly, the one on your left (their right) barely reaches past their elbow and has two slashes near the shoulder. The sleeve on your right (their left) is also shredded, exposing their whole shoulder. They’re wearing black gloves that reach their elbows and the back of their hands have silver rings hanging from them. The skirt is black with white bits sticking out underneath. There’s a spider web pattern decorating the black part of the skirt. 

They flick their hair out of their face but it falls back again. “Hey.” 

You have to snap yourself back into reality for a moment. “Hi, have you seen my friends?” 

“Friends?” they put their hands on their hips, “You mean the ones outside of this total shithole? Sorry to say but they’re probably gonna be gone for a while.” 

“No, I mean from inside. One was short and had—” 

“Socks and flip-flops?” 

You pause. “You’ve seen him?” 

“Yeah, little shit tried to scam me with runes or something. No way I was paying a hundred-thousand buck for some stupid fortune-telling,” they look off with their teeth clenched, “don’t suppose he tried to do the same thing to you?” 

“No, he wanted me to give him my organs.” 

They stare straight down at you with their bright green eyes, slightly horrified. 

“I didn’t,” you clarify. 

“Well, duh, ‘course you didn’t.” 

“But did you see him come around again? He was with me just a couple of seconds ago,” you ask. 

They shake their head, “Nah, sorry.” 

“That’s okay! Is there any chance you’ve seen my other friend? He’s tall and has blue jeans and his hair sticks out like mine,” you poke at your hair to demonstrate. 

They look like they’re about to say something but then their eyes move off from you. They stare behind you for a bit. “Think I found him.” 

You turn around. Shuichi waves from the tall grass with an uncomfortable smile. “H-hi, Kaede,” he says. 

You sigh, “Hey, Shuichi. I’m sorry I ran off. I shouldn’t have left you on your own again but I don’t know what overcame me.” 

“I-I don’t know why but I keep hiding in inconvenient places. I was even thinking of how d-dumb it is. Sorry for hiding again,” he apologises, folding his sleeves in again. 

“Wait, hold on,” the person you were talking to before steps forward, “did you say Shuichi? Like, Shuichi Saihara Shuichi? You look just like him!” 

“W-wait, d-did you say what your name was?” he stutters with excitement. 

They turn to the side and bring their feet together, smirking. Then they strike a dramatic pose. “Kirumi Tojo, lead singer, guitarist and bassist for ‘Tiers of Agony’! And the Ultimate Musician!” 

Shuichi gasps and starts clapping excitedly. “K-Kirumi Tojo?! I can’t believe it! I’m such a huge fan!”

“Who?” you ask.

Shuichi runs up to Kirumi and starts smiling uncontrollably. “I-I’ve listened to every song and bought every album! Your work is so inspiring to me.” 

“Seriously, who?” you repeat. 

Shuichi turns to you with a sparkle in his eye. “Only the most incredible punk artist of our generation! She’s reached the hearts of millions with her alternative music and... and she’s just so cool!” 

All you can do is shrug and take his word for it. 

“Really? If anything, I’d say you were the cool one,” Kirumi smirks, “you’re in every mag ever and helped me change up my style.” 

“Y-you think I’m cool?” 

“Hell yeah, you are!” 

“Yeah Shuichi, you are pretty cool,” you add. 

Kirumi stops smirking to stare at you. You feel this awkward chill like you’re being called out. She curls a brow. “And who were you again?” 

“K-Kaede Akamatsu? Ultimate Writing Prodigy?” 

“S’at a question or an answer?” 

“Answer! My name is Kaede Akamatsu and I’m the Ultimate—” 

“Yeah, yeah. Just messin’. Seen your name around a couple of bookstores. Never read your stuff but it’s pretty cool that you’re like, kinda famous.” 

_ ...Kinda famous? _

That ticks you off for some reason. Kinda famous, your ass. World-famous author, to be exact. And what does she have? Some alternative stuff. Hardly Ultimate level, surely. 

... 

_ Where did THAT come from? _

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! ** **  
** **Kirumi’s report card has been updated based on your experience with her. **

“C-can I just say that I still don’t have a favourite song from your albums. I just let my afternoons slip away while listening to all of your stuff on repeat,” Shuichi gushes. 

“That’s pretty sick, man. Y’know, you inspired me to dye my hair,” she twirls her hair around her gloved fingers. “Though, I don’t think it’ll ever look as good as it does on you.” 

“N-no way! You wear it really well, I’m jealous of your style. That spider aesthetic is so cool!” 

To be honest, you don’t care anymore. You turn to walk away. 

“Come on, Shuichi. I wanna check out the dorms next.” 

He hesitates. You stop walking when you notice he’s not following. 

“I-if i-it’s alright with you — and Kirumi, of course — I think I’d rather stay outside. Is that okay?” 

Right... You see that Shuichi has found a new friend to fawn over. Not to say you’re jealous, oh no! Why on Earth would you be? He only admitted to loving your books and spent most of his time hanging around you only to ditch you for some goth girl within moments of meeting her. It’s fine. You’re fine. It’s fine. You nod and say it’s fine. Because it is. Fine, that is. 

“Hey, Kaede! You suck at hide-and-seek!” someone shouts. 

You turn to see Kokichi standing in the bushes, pouting childishly. You sigh. “Kokichi, we weren’t playing hide-and-seek.” 

“You’re just mad ‘cause you couldn’t find me before I got bored.” He leaps over the bushes and fences. 

He stands proudly for someone so short. You want some company as you investigate the grounds but you’re not sure if you’ll be able to keep him in check while you’re doing it. 

You ask if he wants to tag along. He nods with enthusiasm. 

Well, Kokichi seems more than happy to keep following you around. You’re not sure whether to categorize that in the bright side or the... other side. There doesn’t seem to be a normal expression for the opposite of the bright side. Dark side? No, that feels like a reference to something. 

You rub your eyes with your thumb and index finger. 

“Man, your partner really thinks a lot about that girl,” Kokichi says. It’s taunting. A complete mockery of your existence dripping in his words with, without contextually, very little malice. It’s the grin that ties it all together. That knowing look in his eyes, the way his eyebrows rise higher than usual. 

You tell him to shut up. He only laughs. Wordlessly, you both start heading towards the ugly dormitory. 

The glass doors have wooden frames that don’t at all go well with the glass or the colours of the walls. You cringe as you drink it all in. This is by far the ugliest building you’ve seen in a while and you don’t think you’ll ever get over it. You step towards them and they slide open automatically. You step inside and look around the room.  
It... sure is a dormitory. The shape of the room is octagonal. Stairs are leading to the second level of the building but the stairs are in the centre of the room... on the top of a set of octagon steps. This place confuses you. There are eight doors on each side of the room; four on top and four on the bottom. Above each door hangs a plate with a pixelated illustration of a person it belongs to. Your door is at the back of the room and to the left, the first one to see if you walk to the window. A part of you feels a wave of relief as you glance at the plate with a picture of you on it besides some other people who use she/her. Well, you’re next to Miu so that’s also a downside but you can’t win at everything. 

“Aww, we’re not neighbours? That’s sad,” Kokichi whines. 

You look towards the right and scan the doors. “Aren’t you at least a little excited to be on the top floor?” 

He dramatically gasps, “I’m on the top floor?! Hell yes! I can’t wait to slide down the rails every morning. Oh, I should practice while I’ve got the time!” 

“Yeah, well, I don’t plan to stay long enough to need a room,” you say, shaking your head. 

Not really listening, Kokichi races up the steps in the middle of the room and then up the stairs to the right. He sits on the handrails, facing toward the stairs with his back to the door. The grip looks too tight to be confident. _Is he... scared?_

“You don’t have to do that, you know,” you say, more concerned than anything else. 

“Psh,” he spits, “what, you think I’m scared of some stairs? Come on, I’ve been in life and death situations unfazed, you really think this would do it for me?” 

You walk up the octagon steps and place your hand on the left stair handrails. They’re not all that smooth. Made of unvarnished wood, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to slide down them. 

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea,” you add. 

“That’s because you’ve never done anything other than sit and write. Stuff like that’s boring. You ever try parkour? Parkour is soooo not boring,” he pushes himself higher up the rail, “watch this.” 

He lets go and starts sliding down. It’s slow and awkward. He rocks back and forth as he goes down. You can’t help but feel tense for him. 

“Whoa, hold on,” he puts his hands back on the rail to steady himself. 

“Kokichi...” 

“No no, I’ve got this. Gimme a sec.” 

He reaches one arm out to test his balance. He starts to lean back. He leans back farther. His arm starts flailing around beside him. 

His hand slips from the rail. 

“Wha-!” 

“Whoa!” 

CRASH! 

Kokichi lands on top of something. It cushions his fall but it also screams as it does. You rush towards him. 

“Kokichi, are you okay?!” you ask, standing over him. 

“Ugh,” he groans. He sits up slowly. He puts one hand on whatever lies beneath him. He then immediately takes his hand away. “The hell?” 

“God, what was that?” the cushion also groans. 

You step around the pile to get a look at whoever broke his fall. Long, square face with freckles and tanned skin. A purple and spiked goatee stuck out from the chin. Their hair sweeps to the right and slightly up. What you’re going to guess is some sort of coat is splayed out beneath the two of them. The coat has a blue wavy pattern that reminds you of the ocean. 

“Oh, are you alright?” you ask the cushion. 

They rub their head. “Yeah, I’m fine. Quite the entrance though,” they chuckle.

Kokichi rises to his feet, brushing off his clothes. He pouts, “You screwed up my impromptu backflip!” 

The other sits up and brings their knees up with them. “Hey, I saved you from cracking your skull open on the floor! I think that deserves a thank you at the very least!” 

“I’m not saying thank you when I was showing off to my best friend—” 

“We’re not best friends,” you say. 

“—and you come in and ruin the show.” He folds his arms over his chest. “Also, your shorts look stupid.” 

“They’re not stupid, they’re school-appropriate! If I could, I’d wear my proper swimsuit everywhere I went.” 

You gaze down at their shorts. They’re an aqua blue with coloured fish swimming along. There’s purple fish and orange fish and green fish and... nope, that’s all there is. Some bubbles are blowing out of some of them too. 

_ I could probably find these in the kid’s section,_ you think to yourself. 

You watch them stand up to their feet. They sway a little from the impact. 

You say, “Well if he’s not going to thank you for saving his life then I will. Thank you... uhh...” 

“Oh! I haven’t even introduced myself. My bad,” they pick up their coat from the ground and tie it around their waist. They then pump their fists. “I’m Kaito Momota, Conqueror of the Tides! Hear the children cheer for the Ultimate Swimming Pro!” 

“‘Conqueror of the Tides?’” Kokichi scoffs, “How about a more realistic title like Mayor of Loserville?” 

“Kokichi, don’t be rude!” you scold. 

“No, it’s okay. I’ve decided to stop listening to him anyway,” Kaito shrugs, smirking slightly. 

_ Not sure if that makes you any less childish but okay. _

“I’m Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Writing Prodigy. That’s Kokichi, Ultimate —” 

“Hey! Don’t steal my intro,” he shouts. “Kokichi Oma, Ultimate Clairvoyant. Master of the Tarots.” He bows mockingly. 

Kaito nods, “Right.” 

“Before I forget, may I ask for your pronouns?”

Kaito blinks in confusion, “My what now?” 

“A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun to refer to something or someone previously mentioned in the discourse,” you explain. 

“...Huh?” 

You sigh, “Words like you or I or she or they. Like I go by she/her and Kokichi goes by he/him or they/them. I just want to make sure so I don’t upset anyone.” 

“Huh, okay then. I go by he/him.” 

“Awesome. Nice to meet you, Kaito,” you reach a hand to him. 

“And you too, Kaede,” he takes it and you shake. 

Kokichi sits on a step and pouts.

“So, you’re a swimmer? Like, an Olympic swimmer or...?” 

“I’m more of a record-breaker than an olympian. Been swimming through records since elementary school.” he chuckles, “I don’t mean to brag but I have been chosen as an upcoming Olympic cadet so I can enter with the gold medalists. Never lost a comp in my life so they’d better watch out.” 

“That certainly sounds very impressive,” you smile. 

“Boo! Quit bragging ‘till you actually do something impressive!” Kokichi jeers from the stairs. 

“I just said I’m gonna be in the next Olympics!” Kaito shouts back. 

“Yeah, you haven’t been yet. Even then, it’s just swimming in a straight line. Where’s the rip currents? Where’s the real record-breaking stuff?” 

“I’ll have you know that I’m currently working on my dream of swimming the entire pacific ocean!”

You can’t help but gasp.“T-the entire thing? But that’s like —” 

“One hundred sixty-six million, two hundred and sixty-six thousand, eight hundred and seventy-seven square kilometres? Or sixty-four million, one hundred and ninety-six thousand square miles?” Kaito runs a hand through his hair with confidence. “Yeah, I know. Pretty cool, huh?” 

Kokichi sneers, “Oh yeah? Get back to me on that when you’ve finished with that.” He exclaims, mockingly, “Oh wait, you couldn’t. You’d have drowned! What a shame.” 

Kaito takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. 

“He’s not worth it,” you say. “If it means anything, I think that sounds like a cool dream. Sucks there doesn’t seem to be a pool though.” You don’t tell him the part where you doubt he’ll ever actually achieve it. 

He smiles. “Thanks, Kaede.”

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! **

**Kaito’s report card has been updated based on your experience with him.**

You think you’re done here. You don’t want to look in your dorm room. A part of you is afraid you’ll get too used to the idea of staying here.

“Come on, Kokichi. I think we’re done.”

He leaps up from the step. “I thought we were done as soon as we stepped inside. We hardly even saw anything notable in here.” 

Kaito grunts. 

You sigh, “Yeah, I wanted to see if anyone was inside. I don’t actually care about the dorms.”

He tilts his head as you both walk out the doors. “How many people do you think are here?” 

“Sixteen.” 

“You sure seem confident in that.” 

You shrug, “Read it somewhere.” 

“So how many people have you met so far?” 

“Well,” you raise your hand to prepare to count, “there was Shuichi then Rantaro, Tenko, Ryoma, Maki — actually, we met Maki first, then Tenko — then there was Kibou, Tsumugi, Himiko, Miu, Koki- I mean, you — Kirumi and Kaito. So that’s like, twelve people. Plus myself makes thirteen so I have to meet three more people.” 

You intentionally swerve away from Shuichi and Kirumi as quickly as possible. It seems to be in vain though because seconds after passing them, Shuichi calls out to you. 

You scrunch up your face. You then loosen it up and turn around. “Yes?” 

“Kirumi s-says she wants to go look around the inside of the school but I don’t want to go back in so if it’s alright with you, could I walk with you again?” He plays with his fingers, nervously hunched over. 

You can’t tell if he’s trying to speak to your level or if he’s that anxious. 

“Yeah, sure. The more, the merrier,” you say. You are trying as hard as physically possible not to throw your arms up in frustration.

Kokichi sprints to Shuichi’s side and clings to his hand. “I do not believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting before. My name is Kokichi Oma. But you can call me your new, personal assistant.” 

Shuichi laughs nervously, “R-right. I-I’m Shuichi Saihara.” 

“Oh, I know. Your face is in every store around Japan,” his voice goes low, “but I never expected it to be staring down at me like this.” 

Shuichi squeaks. 

_ What the hell is he doing? _ you think as you continue to walk away from them. 

There’s a nice shaded area with wooden benches and tables. Might make for a good picnic spot. Not that you’re fine staying here, just that this spot looks nice. The rest of the place is a total disaster so it brings some sort of warm satisfaction to see the good in it. Just beyond it is a set of stairs leading to another section of the courtyard. Previous experience with stairs has taught you that you probably want someone to keep you standing once you’ve reached the bottom. 

You turn, “Hey boys! You coming or what?” 

Kokichi skips over to you while Shuichi half-jogs behind him. 

You lean closer to Kokichi and speak softly, “What was with the flirting?” 

“I know a rich guy when I see one. You butter them up enough, they’ll believe anything you say.” 

“Bet you’d love Rantaro,” you mumble. 

He grins with mischief, “Also helps he’s famous too. Once we get out of here, I’m gonna win so many bets.” 

“You bet that you’d meet Shuichi?” 

“I bet I’d meet someone famous someday.” 

You frown, “Hey, I’m famous!” 

“Eh...?” He brings his hand up and tilts it in that ‘sort of but not really’ way. His face looks so punchable right now. 

Shuichi finally catches up. He asks for an update but before you can answer, Kokichi swoops in and takes his hand again. He flips Shuichi’s hand so his palm faces up. “We weren’t talking about anything important, but, if you would allow me to, I’d like to offer you a free fortune. As an Ultimate Clairvoyant, I think you’ll find it’s within my best interest to serve you as your new assistant.” 

He glances over at you and winks. You roll your eyes and walk down the steps with your partners following behind. Once you reach the bottom, the floor doesn’t slip from you but it does spin. You reach a hand to hold onto Shuichi but don’t quite commit to the movement. It hovers for a while. Then you drop your arm when everything stops. 

The fences are a lot smaller now. The path leads to a circle that splits off to four sides. Two of the four paths are covered in rubble. You walk towards the middle of the circle. Toward the right path is another monitor mounted on a pole. Kokichi wanders off to go look at a weird ninja statue near the left path. Shuichi stays by your side with his fingers in his mouth. 

_ Surely, the nail polish can’t taste good. _

Straight ahead on the only other path that’s available stands a skinny, tall figure. Their coat looks almost indistinguishable from their hair, they’re almost the same colour. The hair is slightly darker and less green though. 

You approach with caution. “Excuse me?” you say. 

“Hm?” they turn around. Their eyes find Shuichi first, they have to look down to see you. “Can I help you?” 

“We were just wondering if you’ve seen an exit anywhere,” you say. 

You know for a fact that nobody has found an exit because if they did, they’d already be out of here.

_ Doesn’t hurt to be optimistic though, right? _ You’d like to think that, anyway. 

The figure turns around completely. They wear a black mask that covers the lower part of their face, nostrils included. They have piercings on their ears. They’re not wearing their coat properly, it’s just been thrown on top of their shoulders and unbuttoned dress shirt and chains hanging from their neck. What looks like bandages are wrapped around their abdomen along with a red belt with a symbol. You stare into their intense eyes. Their eyelashes look sharp enough to cut through steel. You gulp. 

Their voice is low and smooth. “I’m afraid I have not located an exit. I assume the same is for you.” 

“Y-yeah, I even tried banging on the glass but it wouldn’t budge.” 

“That is unfortunate,” they shake their head. 

You turn your head to look for Kokichi. He seems preoccupied with the pile of rubble. He tries to climb up it. You feel a lot like a concerned parent right now. 

“Ah, forgive me but I believe we haven’t met,” the stranger apologises. They reach a hand to gesture to themselves. Their hands are covered in bandages.

“My name is Korekiyo Shinguji. You may call me Kiyo.” 

“Kaede Akamatsu,” you do the standard polite handshake. Firm but not too firm. Meeting a new colleague kind of handshake. 

“Pleasure to meet you,” they glance up to Shuichi. “And you would be...?”

“Oh, m-me?” he points to himself in surprise. “

Yes, you.” 

“Shuichi Saihara.” Korekiyo reaches a hand to him and Shuichi shakily shakes it. He’s sweating profusely. He trembles as he brings his hand back to his chest. 

“Just really quick, may I ask your pronouns?” you say. 

“Of course. I go by they/them. While I do not mind traditionally masculine terms like ‘man’ or ‘boy’, I would rather not have male pronouns,” their eyes crinkle. You assume they’re smiling under that mask. “That’s considerate of you to ask.” 

You shrug, “It’s not that much.” 

“U-um,” Shuichi stammers but can’t push any words out. 

“Yes?” Korekiyo tilts their head quizzically. 

“It... it’s just t-that... from what we’ve seen, everyone has an Ultimate talent of some sort. I w-was just wondering about yours.” 

Kiyo slowly nods. “Ah, I see. Well, I do suppose it could be difficult to discern my talent based on my choice of clothing.” Kiyo folds their arms over their chest. “I am called the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader.” 

_ B-biker gang? Really? _

“I... you’re right, I would have never guessed that,” you admit. 

“Due to your bag with drafts hanging out and your mostly casual attire, I would say your talent is somewhere in the writing department?” they guess. 

“That’s pretty much it, yeah. Ultimate Writing Prodigy.” 

They look over at Shuichi. “Not only have I seen your face in lots of ads, your particular style of clothes indicate a very fashionable lifestyle. Your heavy makeup and hairstyle also show your connection to the modelling industry. I assume you are the Ultimate Fashionista.” 

“Y-yeah, that’s right too.” 

“Wow, that’s pretty impressive!” you say with a smile. 

They look over at Kokichi who has only just reached the top of the rock pile. He throws his arms above his head and cheers at nothing in particular. “If I had to guess, maybe a fortune teller. The cheap-looking clothes look street-worthy and the necklace looks superstitious enough to fool customers.”

“I’m taller than all of you now!” Kokichi shouts. 

“The mannerisms, however, remind me of a child.” 

You let out a soft laugh, “You’d be right in thinking that.” 

For a biker gang leader, Kiyo sounds really nice! Though they look a little scary, they’re actually the most polite person you’ve met yet. You think you two could get along well. You just wish it wasn’t under these circumstances. 

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! **

**Korekiyo’s report card has been updated based on your experience with them.**

“Just one last question, have you seen anyone else around here?” you ask. 

Kiyo nods, “I do believe someone is investigating the bushes and rubble near the building behind me. I have not spoken with them just yet, they do not appear to want to talk to me.” 

“Aw, maybe they’re just shy,” you say, “but thank you.”

“My pleasure.” 

You turn around. “Kokichi! Get down, we’re looking around the weird building now!”

“Seriously? Awesome!” 

He steps down from the pile of rocks. He slides down the last couple but lands on his feet. He races to meet up with the rest of the team. He stares at Kiyo. “Who’s this guy?” 

“Kokichi, this is Korekiyo. Korekiyo, this is Kokichi.”

Kiyo avoids eye contact. Their voice sounds more annoyed. “Charmed, I’m sure.” 

Kokichi pouts. “Hey, it’s not fair to treat me badly when you guys have been all sunshine and rainbows over here!” 

“My apologies, I just have a lower tolerance for people with childish behaviour.” 

“I’m childish, sure. Can’t argue with that but what I don’t get is how you hold yourself upright knowing nothing but violence and bike riding. Is it any better to take on a polite persona to hide your insecurities or to openly express emotions no matter how annoying?” 

Kiyo goes silent. As does Shuichi. As do you. 

Kokichi’s eyebrows rise in satisfaction. “Come on gang, let’s go look at some abandoned ruins,” he says as he casually walks passed Kiyo. There’s smugness written all over his face. 

You have to take a moment to process the instruction. You look up at Kiyo. Their eyebrows have curled over their lids, twitching in suppressed anger. You mouth sorry to them as you and Shuichi continue. 

On the path towards the building, there doesn't appear to be any fences to stop you from walking into the tall grass and bushes. You step off the path and start walking towards the patches of greenery. 

“Hello? Anyone out there?” you call out. There’s no answer.

Kokichi folds his arms behind his head. “That’s it? Not gonna try any harder?” 

“Hey, why don’t you keep sucking up to Shuichi and I’ll go find someone to talk to? Sound good?”

“S-sucking up?” Shuichi looks down at Kokichi, expecting an answer. 

He rolls his eyes. “I’m tired of that. If you wanna find someone, you’ll have to try harder than just calling out.”

You put your hands on your hips, “And what do you think we should be doing?”

He smiles, “Watch and learn.” 

Kokichi sprints to the tall grass and dives into it. You can’t see him but wherever he goes, the grass rustles with him. He moves in a wavy line like a snake trying to psych out its prey. Somewhere on the other side of the patch, something else rustles the grass. Kokichi stops. He’s definitely sensed it. The two start to snake around the patches in search of one another. Why they don’t just stand up is beyond you. They crawl around on opposite sides of one another for a little while. They get closer and closer. This is painful to watch. Kokichi goes one way, the other goes the other. They intercept in the middle of the field. Once they do, the grass stops rustling. Nothing happens for a bit. Shuichi opens his mouth.

Kokichi jumps into the air. “Found them!” 

“Yah-hah! Found me!” Another person jumps beside him. 

You can’t see them clearly but the colours feel like they’re assaulting your eyes. The two giggle childishly and wave over at you.  
“H-he found them,” Shuichi chuckles. 

“Yes, so he has,” you can’t help but smile. 

The two jump back into the grass and crawl the whole way back to you. The grass rustles in two straight lines. Then it stops just before you can see them.

“Ankle biter!”

Shuichi screams. Kokichi has attached himself to Shuichi’s ankles. 

Something clamps around your ankles. “Gotcha!” 

“Whoa!” you shout. 

“Nyahahaha!” Kokichi’s new friend laughs as you try to shuffle out of their grasp. 

“God, now I’ve got two kids to look after,” you mutter to Shuichi. 

“C-can you get this one off?” he lifts his foot to try and shake Kokichi off to no avail. 

“Okay, knock it off,” you say, bringing on the mum voice. 

“Aww, already?” Kokichi whines. 

“Now.”

The two let go and stand up together. They aren’t that different size-wise but Angie is slightly shorter. Their hair is tied up in two puffballs; left side green, right side blue. The bangs remain white. Wide, childish eyes with teal circles staring at you with innocence. They don’t look completely Japanese, their dark skin and pink tinted cheeks remind you of warm and sunny days away from the usually bleak afternoons at home. They wear a big yellow coat that reaches just past their knees over a saturated orange midriff and a bright blue skirt with a bright green bow holding it up around their waist. Around their neck sits a pearl necklace with a USB hanging from the middle. Kokichi and his friend look at each other and they start snorting like children. 

“Um, I’m Kaede Akamatsu. This is Shuichi and I see you’ve met Kokichi.” 

“Yoo-hoo! How are you?” they cheer, “My name is Angie Yonaga! I’m the Ultimate Programmer!” 

“You’re pretty joyful,” you say. 

“Of course! We have no reason to carry the bad thoughts with us! God says so!” 

“God?” you repeat. 

“Our island’s God, our one and only, is a kind God. He speaks for fun and happiness to all people on Earth.” 

“O-oh, you’re religious?” Shuichi asks. 

They nod, “As a prophet of His word, it is my duty to spread joy and cheer to all those around me.” 

“That’s a pretty holy goal, I suppose,” you comment. 

“What sorta stuff do you program?” Kokichi asks. 

“Oh, you know, just some websites made to bring joy. My work barely shone there though, my real masterpieces are top secret and for my eyes only. And God’s, since He knows everything.” 

Shuichi’s eyes light up. “W-wait, didn’t you make that site that allows you to search for anything with voice recognition?” 

“Yup, yup! That was me!” 

“That’s amazing! My father uses it when he’s busy and doesn’t have time to sit down at type.” 

“Just your dad?” Kokichi hums, “Hm, your excitement makes me think more people use it.”

“O-oh, I was going to say my grandmother used to use it because she was blind but she... didn’t live very long after it was released.” Shuichi rubs his arm. “Sorry, I just brought down the mood.” 

Angie tuts, “No-one can move on if we are filled with sadness. After I preach the word to everyone, His divine goal can be complete. But with downers, it’ll take some offering to have Him accept you into his loving arms.” 

“O-offerings?” Shuichi begins to sweat. 

“Just a pint or two of your blood! No big deal, a small price for salvation.” 

“I-I can’t offer my b-blood! I’m haemophobic!” 

“Wow, I can’t believe Shuichi doesn’t support love,” Kokichi folds his arms with a pout, “first you deny Angie’s love for their God and now you don’t support gay rights? I’m disappointed.” 

You groan, “HEMOphobic, Kokichi. And Shuichi isn’t denying anything, he just doesn’t want to offer his blood. Maybe he has another religion he’s devoted to or maybe he just doesn’t believe in any. That’s up to him to decide.” 

Angie shrugs, “Fine, fine. But if you change your mind, give me a call. I will hear no matter how far, God’s prophet always hears.” 

“R-right,” Shuichi starts to chew his fingernails again. 

Now you’re praying this one doesn’t do anything dangerous. 

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! **

**Angie’s report card has been updated based on your experience with them.**

Kokichi asks Angie about their God for a little while longer. You don’t want to say you don’t care about people’s religions but you also have one more person to meet. If that sixteen people thing is true, that is.

You turn to walk to the building Kiyo was talking about. Actually, it’s less of a building and more like another cage within the one surrounding the school. It holds the shape of a birdcage if the gaps between the frame were filled with glass. The greenery covers almost every inch of the bricks separating the door and the glass, vines fall in thick clumps and it makes you wonder if it’s trying to keep you away from what’s inside.

“Should we go inside?” Shuichi asks. 

“We’ll only get answers if we find every student and we’ll only find every student if we check everywhere. This is the last place we need to be.” 

“W-what makes you so sure?” 

You stare at the giant, red door. The metal hinges look old and rusted, you can see little cracks in the wood from wear. The ring handles have turned rough and dark from all the hands and moisture that must have touched it. Everything about this door tells you that this place is abandoned. 

“I don’t know,” you say as you take two steps up the small set of stairs, “it’s just a gut feeling.” 

You pull on the handle. It’s just as bumpy as you thought it would be. The door is heavy. You have to pull pretty hard to get it to open. The room is bathed in almost heavenly light. Your shoes clack and echo on the stone floor. Around the circular walls, flowerbeds are filled with beautiful, blooming fauna. Begonias and rhododendrons and primroses bring colour to where you thought there was none. Flowing over the tall steps in between beds are lush leaves and red roses and pink peonies. In the centre of the room is a waterfall, gently splashing in its closed marble walls. Engraved above the waterfall are stylised roses and elegant golden borders around the edges. The fresh smell of wispy, fragrant flowers is enough to relax you from your worries and strife. 

“Wow,” you say, barely above a whisper. 

“Whoa,” Shuichi gasps. 

Your breathing slows. You haven’t felt more at peace. Though you still want to leave, you find yourself imagining writing something magical in this room. The waterfall would make for good white noise. 

Maybe it could be about a girl from the forest, cast out from society and forced to live in the wild. 

_ He meets someone and falls in love. They take them to their favourite pond where animals of marble white roam with gentle steps and speak in song. The leaves fall around them, afternoon purple with the sunset shining on its velvet soft skin. She takes her non-believer’s hands and lets her feel the falling leaves. She places some in her hair, tucked just behind her ear. “ Stay with me,” she whispers, choking back tears. They cup each other’s cheeks and just when the sun meets the land, they come closer and — _

“Kaede?” Shuichi snaps you out of your head. 

“Hm? Sorry, I spaced out,” you hope he doesn’t ask you to elaborate. Your face feels warmer from thinking about it. 

“I-I think we found the last student,” he says, pointing to someone standing near the waterfall.

The figure is tall and big. You wish you could channel whatever your brain was doing less than a minute ago but that seems to be all you’re getting now. Tall and big. They survey the fountain with a quizzical finger tapping on their chin. Their long, green, stringy hair seems to flow. You think that’s odd since there’s no wind flowing through anywhere. The doors are closed and it can’t get through the glass and you certainly can’t feel any wind. 

_ Is it creating its own? _

You shake your head, _ No, it can’t be. _

While studying them a little closer, you see they’re wearing a white karategi. That would most likely explain their muscles and general terrifying appearance. Shuichi looks hesitant to call for them. You, however, are not Shuichi. 

“Um... excuse me?” you call, stepping closer. 

They turn to your voice. You give a little wave as they stare down at you. 

“...Hm?” they hum with some confusion in their tone. 

“My name is Kaede Akamatsu,” you point to Shuichi, “that’s Shuichi Saihara.” 

“Oh! Sorry! Nice to meet you,” they say with a smile. 

“Sorry?” you repeat. 

“Sorry for scaring you, Shuichi. Gonta big and scary-looking so you don’t want to walk near.”

Shuichi shuffles closer. He stands right beside you. “I-It’s okay.” 

“Don’t see too well so mainly touch to see. Sorry if a mistake happens.” Despite their deep red eyes and general appearance, their voice doesn’t seem as scary as you would believe them to be. 

“Uh, do you need glasses or something?” you ask. 

“Maybe, not sure,” they fold their arms over their chest. 

“Well, how much can you see?” you wave your arms out to the side, “Can you describe what I look like?” 

They squint and step closer. They look over you, carefully. Shuichi starts shaking but you don’t feel a trace of worry. “Small... pink and round. Top of Kaede is yellow but also pink,” they shake their head, “Sorry, no good.” 

You drop your arms by your side. “Hm, we should get you an optometrist. Or maybe we could call up Maki and get some of those eye drops contacts.”

“Oh, forgot to introduce self,” they quickly brush off as many wrinkles as they can from their uniform. “Gonta’s name is Gonta Gokuhara. Gonta’s talent is Ultimate Martial Artist.” 

_ So, we have an artist and a martial artist? _

You are about to offer your hand to shake but after looking at their hands, you decide against it.

“G-Gonta, c-can I ask for your pronouns?” Shuichi chokes out. 

“Pronouns... nouns are objects, places and things... pronouns are not nouns,” they mutter to themselves. 

“Pronouns mean...” you have to stop yourself from making the same mistake, “uh... like, I go by she/her.” 

“Ah! Gonta uses he.” 

“Perfect! Nice to meet you, Gonta,” you smile.

Someone opens the door. You turn around to see Kokichi with his eyebrows folding over his eyelids. 

“Kokichi, what happened? You look stressed,” you ask.

“Angie. God damn, they can be exhausting to talk to. All ‘God said this’ ‘God said that’ stuff. I just wanted to know if you could legitimately offer fingers as an offering and then I got lectured about the right sacrificial etiquette and —” He looks at Gonta and his eyes light up— “Oh my God, you’re so big!” 

“Are you talking to Gonta?” 

“Whoa, you could totally toss me through a wall with muscles like those!” he runs right up to him and starts bouncing on his toes. “Pick me up! I wanna be picked up!” 

Gonta shrugs and crouches down to Kokichi’s level. Gonta wraps an arm around the back of his legs so he sits on it and lifts him into the air. Kokichi giggles as he sits on Gonta’s bicep. 

“Hey! Look, I’m taller than all of you!” he shouts, swinging his legs with excitement. 

You can’t help but laugh. Gonta smiles sweetly as Kokichi gushes over how he could easily fit his face in Gonta’s hand. You notice that Gonta is wearing some bracelets and hair ties on his wrists. One is made of string, another has his name written in beads. It’s quite adorable. 

“Alright, want to put you down now,” Gonta says. 

“Aww!” Kokichi pouts as he’s put back down on the floor. 

“This room nice but think Gonta needs fresh air,” he nods, “nice to meet you all.” 

“High-five me before you go,” Kokichi demands, holding out his hand.

Gonta holds out his. Kokichi slaps it and grins. Gonta walks over to you and holds out his hand. You roll your eyes but high-five him anyway. He does the same for Shuichi even if the latter was more hesitant. 

You think things are starting to look up now. 

**Obtained Friendship Fragment! **

**Gonta’s report card has been updated based on your experience with him.**

DING DONG, BIG BONG. 

Huh? 

Some sort of bell rings closeby. It’s low and grand but it doesn’t reverberate like a normal one. 

“Where is that coming from?” you ask. 

“I think that was the monitor,” Kokichi says. 

The three of you stand in front of the monitor and watch it blink on. On the screen is a room with a couch, a window with curtains and a side table with a vase full of red flowers. On the couch sits five plush bears, each split vertically into two colours; one white, one a different colour. One was green, one was yellow with tiger stripes, one was red, one was pink with lighter pink vertical stripes and one was blue. 

“Ooh, is this some sort of cartoon?” Kokichi pumps his fists in excitement. 

“I... doubt that,” you mutter. 

“Hiiiii! Thanks for bear-ing with us!” the pink bear greets with a high-pitched voice. 

“Kept you bastards waiting, huh?” the blue bear says with a rumble in its tone. 

“Phew! We finally finished our preparations! The opening ceremony can finally begin! Everyone, make your way to the gym please,” the red bear says with cheer. 

“...You do realise you just stole everyone else’s lines, right?” the yellow bear sighs like a tired New Yorker. 

The five huddle closer together and say, “So long! Bear-well!” The monitor goes black. 

The three of you stare at the reflections on the black screen. Five talking bears on a couch telling you to go to the gym. Nothing else today has made sense, why should this? All three of you have your jaws hanging open but for different reasons. Shuichi is mildly surprised, Kokichi tries to think of something to say and you’re so beyond words at this point that all you have left to convey your confusion except an open jaw. It could fall to the floor if anything else were to happen today. Losing your jaw wouldn’t be the weirdest part either and that part kind of terrifies you. Shuichi’s voice crackles in his throat as the shock wears off. 

“Well,” Kokichi breaks the silence, “that was weird.” 

“A-are we supposed to know what the bears are for?” Shuichi fiddles with his hands again. 

“I don’t think so,” you say. 

No-one does anything or moves from their spots. 

“Sh-should we... um,” Shuichi doesn’t finish that thought. 

“I think we should go,” you say. 

“What makes you say that?” Kokichi asks with crossed arms.

You think about the checklist you saw when you left the classroom. That thing about needing to meet everyone before gathering in the gym and beginning the opening ceremony. It would certainly fit the formula but... all of this is so coincidental. As soon as you - specifically you, Kaede - finished talking to the rest of the students, the announcement plays. 

_ Was that list... meant to make me fill an agenda? Or did I just happen to find something and feel like going along with it? Would everyone have met each other regardless? _

...

Your reflective silence is making Kokichi suspicious. 

“I think... everyone else will be there so we should be there too.” 

He shrugs, “I guess... if you wanna follow the crowd.” 

“S-so you’re saying we should just not go?” 

“Never said you shouldn’t, just that you’d be playing into whatever the hell is going on here.” 

You point at Kokichi assertively, “Okay, knock it off. I don’t think we’re going to get anywhere by ignoring the announcement and I also don’t think we’re playing into some big trap. We’re going and that’s final.” 

He frowns, “You know, for a second, I thought you were less stupid than this. Even if I caught you banging on the walls and screaming, I thought you’d at least be sceptical enough to know when something’s wrong.” 

“I am sceptical but I also want to find out what’s going on. I don’t want to stay here but so far, every attempt I’ve made to escape has ended with failure so my next best option is to figure out as much as possible and then I can make a plan. Does that sound stupid to you?” 

He goes quiet. Not necessarily because you’ve won but rather, he knows you won’t change your mind. He turns away and starts walking towards the exit. 

“Fine,” he sighs as he opens the door, “but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

He steps out and walks to the school alone. 

“Should we follow him?” Shuichi asks. 

You shake your head, “No, let him go. He’s being difficult on purpose.” 

You go through your bag and take out the monopad. You tap on the map and locate the gym. When you click near the gym icon, a pop-up appears that says “GO!” along with your little pixel person. Out of curiosity, you tap the pop-up. It guides you to the gym like a GPS but as soon as you start walking, you can’t stop looking at the screen. You just stare down. It’s hypnotising. Once you start walking you don’t stop. You never seem to run into any walls or doors or trip over any vines. Not a sound comes through your ears and not a thought enters your head. It’s just you and the screen now. 

You look up. You’re... inside the school again. There are huge double doors with vertical handles. Against the walls are lockers, each labelled with a student’s first name. 

“How... how did I get here?” you think out loud. 

“You walked.” 

“Ah!” 

You don’t know why you screamed so loud. You didn’t expect Shuichi to be right behind you though. 

He jumps back in surprise too. “W-why did- are you okay?” his voice goes frantic and panicky. 

“Jeez, don’t sneak up on me like that!” you scold. 

“I-I tried talking to you the entire time but you wouldn’t respond. I got really worried when you never looked up or slowed down.” 

“What?” 

“I didn’t know what happened so I got scared.” 

“No no, I got that but... I don’t remember walking here.” 

“You don’t?” 

“Yeah, as soon as I tapped that thing on the monopad, my brain just shut off and now I’m here,” you slip the pad in question back into your bag, now you’re kind of scared of it, “I guess that’s convenient for travelling but God, that felt weird.” 

Shuichi hums, not quite sure what else to say. 

You step toward the doors and place your hand on the handle. You pull the door open wide enough for Shuichi to go in first. You step in after him and let the door close on its own. It’s... almost a normal gym. There are two basketball hoops on the left and right walls with the court taking up half of the room. The stage stands at the far back and stage lights shine in every direction to completely light the place up. The floors are dirty and covered in shrubbery, particularly so in the corners. Two tall trees grow near the stage at the back. In the centre stands all of the fourteen people you just finished meeting. None of them stand close together. They just hold themselves in random spots as if they were afraid of catching some kind of illness. 

Well, everyone except you and Shuichi. 

Kaito turns his head to see you two walking closer. “Is this everyone?” 

“Well, there should be sixteen of us and we’re the last two to come in,” you say, stepping into the room. 

“How do you know there are sixteen of us?” Korekiyo asks. 

“I uh... I read it somewhere,” you hope no-one asks for you to elaborate. 

“S-so did I,” Shuichi quickly says. 

Kiyo nods, “I see.” 

“But still,” Kaito smiles, “it’s pretty awesome seeing sixteen Ultimates gathered together.”

“I doubt we’ll have much time to revel in this, no matter how spectacular it may be,” Kiyo says, ominously. 

Kirumi sighs, “Whatever, I just wanna hurry it up so I can leave and finish up my lyrics.” 

“Yeah, being here is such a big pain,” Himiko whines. 

Pretty much everyone in the room begins to groan and complain. Nobody wants to be here, everyone wants to go home and do whatever it is they do. You can’t say you blame them. 

Kibou speaks over the groans, “Pardon me but I think it would be best if we stay on guard. We are not sure if there is any danger but if there is, we need to be ready to defend ourselves.” 

Kokichi huffs, “Easy for you to say, you’re a soldier! You could probably kill in your sleep!” 

Kibou begins to stammer, “P-please know that I have no intention of hurting anyone w-without provocation!” 

Miu snorts, “Yeah, like that’s any more reassuring.” 

“Do not be afraid, we have God on our side! He will protect us from danger,” Angie cheers. 

“And neither is that!” Miu stomps toward them and prepares a hand to slap them with, “Fuck you going on about with God and shit? Your head full of grapevines that need knockin’ out?” 

“Guys, guys, calm down. Don’t worry about it, I’ll handle it,” Kaito says with gusto, pointing to himself. “If anyone tries to hurt us, I’ll kick their ass so hard they’ll fly into orbit!” 

“Oh, yeah, sure you will,” Kokichi sneers. 

“Hey, I already saved your life and you didn’t thank me!” 

“You didn’t save my life, you ruined my backflip!” 

“What was that?” Kirumi suddenly sounds panicked. 

“What was what?” you ask. 

“Something’s whirring. It’s like an engine.” 

Tsumugi taps her chin with her fingers, “I think I can hear it too. Yeah, it reminds me of something from a robot anime.” 

“Literally shut the fuck up,” Miu barks. 

“No, you shut up,” Kirumi shouts back, waving her arm in Miu’s direction to silence her, “it’s getting closer.” 

She starts walking towards the stage, close to Rantaro and Ryoma. Her boots are the only sound echoing in the room. No-one dares to speak. 

She stops. She holds out a finger and looks to the floor. She doesn’t move. 

“Shit!” 

She pushes Rantaro to the ground. Something drops from the ceiling. It shakes the room. Shuichi falls to the floor. Towering over Kirumi and Rantaro is a huge mech with giant arms. There are guns. Their hands could crush your entire body. Just when you catch your breath, the room shakes again. Kokichi dives out of the way. Himiko falls and clings onto Kirumi. Another four mechs drop from the ceiling. They form a circle. They trap you all inside. Among the screaming, the mechs speak.

“Yoo-hoo! Rise and shine, ursine!”

Kibou rushes to meet them, knife in hand, “Everyone, stay back!”

Gonta rushes to his aid. “Behind Gonta!”

“Wha- what are these?!” Kaito screams. 

Something washes over you. “Exisals.” 

A blue coloured mecha speaks, “They’re Exisals — highly mobile, bipedal weapons platforms!” 

“I-I don’t give a shit, ya’ll save the best for last, right? Kill off the ugly ones first, ya hear me?!” Miu screams. 

“Uh-oh, looks like you just earned yourself a death wish, Miu!” Kokichi taunts. 

You reach out a hand to help Shuichi up. 

“Hm, didn’t someone say they would “kick their ass into orbit”?” Maki says, deadpanned. 

Kaito’s shaking violently, “N-no no, I think Kibou and Gonta have it under control! Perfectly fine!” 

Kokichi rolls his eyes. “My hero.” 

“Whoever is inside, identify yourselves!” Kibou shouts, “If you don’t, I have to use force.”

“Actually, I would love to see how those things function so don’t break them too much,” Maki says. 

“I’m giving you until the count of three. One—” 

“That won’t be necessary,” Rantaro interrupts. 

He pulls himself off of the floor, wiping off the dirt from his clothes. He unfolds his dress shirt from his elbows and rolls them down to his wrists. He casually steps towards the Exisal standing in the middle of them all.

“What is he doing?” Shuichi whispers to you. 

“No clue,” you whisper back. 

“If it was in their interest to slaughter us, they would have done so already, would they not? Then it’s obvious they want something from us, the guns prove that they plan to use threats and intimidation to achieve their goal, not to simply massacre us for fun.” He folds his arms in front of his chest. “So, now that you’ve got our attention, what do you want from us?” 

An Exisal marked yellow chuckles, “Huh, look at Mr Wiseguy over here.” 

The one marked blue punches its fists together. The clang makes everyone jump. “I’ll start us off! Listen up you punkasses, I’m only gonna say this once. It’s a—” 

“KILLING-GAME,” the green Exisal interrupts. 

“A... what?” you exhale. 

“Monodam! How fucking DARE you upstage me!” the blue Exisal roars. 

“Monodam?” Himiko tilts her head. 

The Exisals turn to look at each other. 

“Did... did we forget to introduce ourselves?” the red one says. 

No-one speaks. You can hardly breathe. Hundreds of thoughts come flooding to your head. You have an urge to scream. 

“Aw crap, we screwed it up this time around,” the yellow one exclaims.

“Hey, I thought we all gave the script to you this time,” the red one says. 

“No, I had it first and then I gave it to Monophanie.” 

The pink one shakes its upper body side to side, 

“No, I gave it to Monokid.” 

“Yeah, and I gave it to that piece of shit Monodam!” 

“I-HAVE-NO-MEMORY-OF-THIS.” 

“Wait so who had it first?” 

“I did! I just said that.” 

“No, Montaro, you didn’t! I did.” 

“Monophanie gave it to me and then I gave it to Monodam so it’s HIS fault!” 

“Monophanie didn’t give you shit, I gave it to her and then she messed it up.” 

“I do not remember receiving it from you but I do remember passing it onto Monokid.” 

“SEE?!” 

“No, that doesn’t make sense because—” 

“SHUT UP!” Your shout bounces off the walls. The Exisals go quiet. All eyes are on you. Shuichi steps away. You can’t breathe. You can’t think. You can’t hear. The room sways. You stomp down to keep yourself upright. Something comes up in your throat. 

“Kaede, are you okay?” Shuichi takes your hand before you can fall. 

You nod. You don’t mean it though. It’s harder to breathe. The air tastes like dirt. 

“Who are you,” Kibou repeats, “and what do you mean killing game?” 

“Well, the fact that we should’ve introduced ourselves earlier is a little awkward but we’re mostly on script regardless,” the yellow one says, “but it doesn’t say we can’t do it now.” 

“I mean, the fact it says we do it earlier would probably mean we can’t do it now but—” 

“Monotaro, shut up for a moment. Okay, ready yourself.” 

The Exisals open up at the top. From them, five plush bears leap out. They’re the ones on the monitors. They land on the floor and strike a pose. 

“Monotaro!” says the red one. 

“Monosuke!” says the yellow one. 

“Monophanie!” says the pink one. 

“MONODAM,” says the green one, monotonously. 

“Monokid!” shouts the blue one.

In unison, they shout, “Rise and shine ursine! With our powers combined, we are the Monokubs!”

Nobody says a word. Five bear plushies. That talk. And move. In giant robot mechs. With guns. Something churns in your stomach. 

“They’re... teddy bears,” Kibou says, underwhelmed. 

“Robotic teddy bears,” Maki walks up to the bears and crouches down, “must be very interesting to look at from the inside.” 

“A-are they dangerous?” Shuichi asks. 

“No clue. The paws don’t appear to have any claws in them,” Maki says, poking Monotaro. 

“H-hey, stop that! We’re very scary and dangerous!” Monotaro shouts. It’s rather wimpy. 

“With soft exteriors like these, it could take a tiny flick from Gonta to blow them up, assuming we don’t have anything softer than pure muscle.” 

“Oh, you want Gonta to flick teddy bears?” Gonta raises his hand and makes a small flicking motion. The air blows away from him as he does so.

Maki looks over at Monosuke and holds her hands just beside it. She looks ready to pick it up. “No, not yet. I want to take a closer look at these.” 

“Look, lady, I don’t know what you’re plannin’ on doing but if you even lay a finger on me, the consequences will be dire,” Monosuke growls. 

“Somehow, I highly doubt that,” Maki grabs Monosuke by the sides and lifts it off of the ground. Monosuke flails its arms around and curses at her. That feeling washes over you again but it’s heavier. It’s familiar but instead of clarity, it brings anxiety. 

“Maki, be careful! It could have a bomb in it or something!” 

“A bomb?!” Monotaro panics, “We have bombs in us?! 

“Y-yes! I have a bomb in me so if you don’t let go now —” 

“Well, well, well...” From a microphone somewhere close to here, someone speaks with condescending glee. The high voice reverberates through the air. 

The room goes silent. Monosuke stops squirming in Maki’s hands. 

“My darling little cubs... it’s a shame they’re so harmless at a time like this.” Its voice is dripping with malice, a malevolent being far beyond human understanding. Chills run up your spine. 

“Oh! That voice!” Monophanie gasps. 

“Father? Father, is that you?” Monotaro calls. 

“Father?” you — along with almost everyone else in the room — mutter.

The lights shut off. Someone screams. You can hear confused shuffling. Someone clings to your arm. Something soft drops to the floor. The stage lights slowly light up, pointing toward the stage. Your stomach sinks in dread. The floor is being pulled from beneath you. You can hardly stand. The weight of whoever is clinging to you is about to knock you over. You stare at the stage. One-by-one, the lights shine on the podium on it. Out from behind the podium flies a black and white plush bear. It leaps into the air, flailing its arms cartoonishly. It lands on the podium while sitting, the microphone rocks with it. The feedback is deafening. And silencing. 

The bear speaks into the microphone. “I am the God of this world and the headmaster of the Ultimate Academy!” It brings its paws to its mouth, grinning, “I am the one, the only, Monokuma! Nice to meetcha!” 

Words appear in your head but never reach your mouth. _ What the hell? What’s going on? I feel sick. I’m going to throw up. Shuichi, let go! Why is the room tilted? What are the bears? Oh God, I’m dreaming I have got to be dreaming none of this is real, why would it be? All of this isn’t real what if I just pinch myself and wake myself up why can’t I move? Shuichi get off, I think I’m about to collapse. I... keep it together, Kaede! I can’t faint, I can’t stay here, I need to get out, I need to leave and I don’t care, where’s the exit?! _

You don’t hear whatever else is happening. You hold your head in your hands and hunch over. Shuichi lets go of your arm. He hovers over you but doesn’t touch you. Trapped in... inside a school... in a glass cage... with sentient, robot bears... sixteen students... The room’s upgraded from tilting to rotating. You’re stuck on the wall and it rolls into a ceiling, then a wall, then the floor, then the wall. It spins and spins and spins and spins and spins and spins.

“Answer the fucking question, what do you mean killing game?” Kirumi shouts.

“I want you students with your Ultimate-level talents to participate in a killing game.”

“K-killing game?” you groan, trying to hold yourself upright. You’re sweating bullets. _ When did the room turn fuzzy? _

“Do not joke about this! Why would we ever agree to participate in a killing game?” Kibou exclaims. 

“Eh? You don’t wanna do it?” Monokuma tilts its head and _ God, everything hurts. _

“Fuck no! I’m too good to kill and too sexy to die!” Miu hollers. 

“P-plus, killing is wrong! Gonta could never do it,” Gonta adds. 

Monokuma giggles, “Hmm, I assumed you all had a good look outside the school but maybe only watching one person react was wrong of me. The academy is surrounded by a huge, glass dome. You can’t see into the outside world, nor can you ever go back again. And as long as we have our little Exisals, you can’t defy us.” Monokuma’s grin grows wider with sadism. “I hold your lives over each and every one of you. Disobey us and you will die, understand?” 

_ Exisals switched off but accessible... killing game... pockets for pads... meet at least one other student... where... _

“So if we cooperate with your terms, we do not die,” Rantaro says. 

“This is ridiculous!” Kaito roars, “Nobody’s gonna kill each other, who would kill a friend?” 

“Who said anything about being friends?” Monokuma asks, genuinely. 

“Huh?” 

“None of you are friends. In fact, as far as you're concerned, all of you are enemies.” 

_ Enemies...? Why are we...? My head... _

“T-that’s not true! Kaede is my friend!” Shuichi’s shout is passionate but weak. 

Monokuma’s tone is grave, “As far as you know, she could be planning to kill you right now.” 

“S-she wouldn’t.” 

“You don’t know that, you don’t know anyone here. How long have you known each other, like, two hours? If I were you, I’d lay low, pretty boy.” 

_ I... walked all the way here. Where am I? Where is... where’s up? Where’s— _

“Kaede!”

THUD!


	3. This Class Trial, My Class Trial - Daily Life I

...

... ...

“Ngh...”

The room is... bright. Your eyes are sore. The ceiling turns like the slowest record player in existence. Your head could roll right off from your neck and spin around like a spinning top. Your ears are full of pool water. You can barely hear someone trying to talk to you.

“Kaede? Kaede, can you hear me?”

“Yo, Kaede. You gonna wake up soon?”

SLAP!

“Be patient, you gremlin. She’ll wake up when she needs to.”

“Ow, you didn’t have to hit me so hard!”

“Tenko, what did we say about slapping people?”

“He’s being an idiot, we said I could slap idiots.”

“... I really wish we hadn’t.”

You crinkle your face, trying to shut the light out. You bring an arm up to shield it from you. It half works, half still blinds you with your eyes closed.

“She’s waking up!” you think that’s Kokichi.

“Thank God,” that has to be Ryoma.

“K-Kaede? Are you okay?” Shuichi asks.

You moan in response. “Where... where am I?”

“You have yet to leave the gymnasium due to your fainting spell,” Rantaro says, “you have missed the explanation and a fight between two of our classmates.”

You sit up. The room appears to have stopped moving but you wouldn’t try standing up. Your migraine could make you faint again.

“You hit the ground pretty hard,” Ryoma mumbles.

“Yeah, I can feel that,” you groan.

Someone reaches out a hand. You look up. It’s Tsumugi.

“Need help?” she smiles.

You take her hand and she pulls you up. You stumble once you reach your feet but you cling onto Tsumugi for support. Your bag is on the floor. Shuichi catches your gaze and picks it up for you.

“So... what exactly did I miss?” you ask as you sling your bag over your shoulder.

Shuichi looks down at his boots. “After you fainted, M-Monokuma talked about something called ‘Class trials’ and then our Monopads all started making noises.”

Tsumugi elaborates, “They’re all updated so they show the rules and regulations. You can read them if you’d like but I can do a quick explanation.”

You nod. 

“1. Stay in school. 

“2. A body discovery announcement will play if three or more people find a body. After some investigating, a class trial happens. If the murderer is guessed correctly, then _ they’ll _ be executed but if everyone else gets it wrong, everyone dies _ except _for the murderer and they get to go home. This goes on until there are two people left. 

“3. Nighttime is from 10 PM to 8 AM and you can’t get into the gym and dining hall during nighttime.

“4. Don’t even bother trying to rebel against Monokuma ‘cause you’ll die although apparently, he’ll never directly cause a murder. Uhh... what else...? Oh yeah, don’t break the Monopads. I think that was pretty much it.”

“The list may be updated at any time,” you say.

“Huh?”

You shake your head. “Nothing.”

“But still,” Ryoma sighs and looks off distantly, “we’re no closer to finding an exit and on top of that, we’re being tasked to kill each other. Who on Earth would want to force this from us?”

“I dunno but that would be pretty cool to watch for whoever it’s for,” Kokichi grins.

Tenko looks ready to slap him again but he flinches and moves to avoid her.

You look around the gym and start counting how many people are left. 

_ Tsumugi, Kokichi, Shuichi, Ryoma, Tenko, Rantaro, Korekiyo, Himiko, Kibou... _

“Where did everyone else go?”

Rantaro folds his arms, “After Kaito and I argued for an excessive amount of time, he tried to damage his monopad. Maki, thankfully, stepped in and caught it before he could destroy it. My guess is that his shouting exhausted himself so he went outside to collect himself. I can’t say I know why everyone else left.”

Kibou enters the conversation, “Kirumi said something along the lines of “This sucks, I’m going to scream in my dorm,” Maki also went back to her dorm and I think Gonta and Angie went together to search for an exit.”

“And Miu said she was going to keep searching for playing cards or sleep if she couldn’t find any,” Tsumugi adds.

“You managed to decipher her nonsense?” Korekiyo sounds somewhat impressed.

Tsumugi shrugs, “It’s a skill.”

Korekiyo makes their way towards you. “But my only question is why did you faint?”

“I... I don’t know. I guess I felt a little sick when I showed up.”

“You also reacted quite strongly when the Monokubs began fighting. Perhaps the trauma just happened to hit you the hardest.”

“W-wait, has anyone tried to use the GPS system in their Monopads?” Shuichi asks.

Everyone shakes their head.

“So I’m the only one who pressed the “GO!” button,” you confirm.

“Why is that important?” asks Ryoma.

“Because... I pressed the button and Shuichi said I was unresponsive and I forgot I even walked here in the first place. I think that’s what made me feel dizzy.”

Korekiyo holds their chin, deep in thought. “How peculiar.”

“Indeed,” Rantaro adds.

“Indubitably,” Kokichi snides.

Rantaro rolls his eyes.

“Oh, did I upset you?” Kokichi sticks his tongue out.

“Just ignore him, he’s been like this all day,” you sigh.

“B-but now the rest of us don’t know what to do. We figured that after we made sure you were okay, we could come up with a plan from there. Or something,” Shuichi plays with his fingernails.

_ A plan? Yeah, that sounds pretty good right about now. _

“I still think Kirumi’s plan was pretty good,” Kokichi says.

Rantaro shakes his head, “Kirumi said she was going to play so loud, the dome’s glass would shatter.”

“Uh, yeah! That plan sounds amazing!”

“Kokichi, shut up,” Ryoma sighs.

“Wha- what? I was j-just trying to help,” Kokichi’s eyes well up with tears. His voice is unconvincing but you will admit the tears are pretty realistic. It’s only when he starts wailing uncontrollably that your suspension of disbelief is shattered.

“You’d be surprised how long this has gone on for,” Tsumugi mutters to you, “just the same antics going round and round and round.”

Rantaro, Tenko and Kokichi are now in another argument. It’s irritatingly repetitive. Rantaro tries to make a point, Kokichi says something stupid, Tenko glares at him, Kokichi cries. It goes on for far too long. You look over at Korekiyo. They shake their head.

“Guys, shut up!” you interrupt before Kokichi can start bawling again, “We need to focus, okay? We’re not going to get anywhere if we argue with each other. Now that we’re in this... game, thing, we’re all afraid and doubting each other which is exactly what they want! We can’t do that, we have to work together if we want to get out of here. So quit fighting and we’ll be out of here in no time!”

Everyone goes quiet. You seem to have commanded the room with your little speech. With this control, you feel your head becoming clearer.

“Okay. Not all of us are here but that’s okay. The people we do have with us is more than enough to start a search for an exit. If anyone has noticed even a small clue, now would be the time to—”

“I found a manhole!”

Everyone stares at Kokichi.

“Yeah, it was in this weird little building place with a boiler. It smelled pretty bad, couldn’t really breathe in there. I tried to lift it up but it wouldn’t budge.”

Kibou steps toward him, “Where is it?”

“Oh?” he smirks and puts his hands on his hips. “And why should I tell you?”

You’re ready to lift him by the scarf if you have to. “You can’t get through it by yourself and we all want to escape, is that good enough?”

He shrugs, “Maybe.”

“Alright, how about this,” Tenko grabs Kokichi’s necklace and pulls him closer. She uses her other hand to close the string around his neck. Kokichi sweats and tries to push himself away to no avail. “You tell us where it is and I _ won’t _crush your windpipe.”

Kokichi nods, wheezing. “I was joking, of course I’ll tell you! Please let go.”

She stares for a little longer. She lets go. Kokichi flies back and stumbles around.

“So much for getting along,” Tsumugi comments.

“Tenko,” you frown at her, “if we all want to get along to survive, we have to stop threatening each other. I get that Kokichi is being a pain but right now, all we have is each other and we can’t hope to trust everyone if we’re also trying to physically harm each other when things get inconvenient.”

Tenko closes her eyes. She takes a deep breath. “Sorry, I forgot to do my relaxation exercises so I’m on edge today.”

“N-no shit,” Kokichi chokes. He coughs into his own hand.

“So where’s the manhole?” Tsumugi asks.

Kokichi lets out a couple more coughs and then clears his throat. “Behind the school. Might have to bring Gonta though. That guy could probably frisbee it through the glass.”

_ That actually doesn’t sound like a bad idea, _ you consider it. _ But would it be that easy? _

You glance at Rantaro. He has his arms folded in front of his chest. He probably has no idea how heavily his words are affecting you. 

Now with Kokichi’s word, you all stare around looking for someone to take charge. You look over at Korekiyo again. They give you an approving stare.

You clear your throat. “Alright, lead the way.”

“Hm?” Kokichi tilts his head.

“You know where it is, show us all the way.”

He cocks an eyebrow. You’re almost certain that he’s going to say something like _ Oh, so NOW you trust me. _

You’re waiting for it. You don’t know how to respond when he does but you’re ready to hear it.

Kokichi puffs out his chest. He coughs. He puffs out his chest again in confidence. “Okay, follow me!”

With Kokichi leading the way, everyone heads out of the gym. Korekiyo walks over to Himiko who is still standing on the other side of the gym. The two follow behind with Himiko looking a little shaken up.

“H-hey, Kaede?” Shuichi looks down at you, “Are you sure about this?”

“Sure about what?”

“W-working together and... trusting Kokichi?”

“Look,” you sigh, “if we’re really friends like you said then you’ll trust me, right? If we all get along and stop doubting each other, we won’t have a reason to worry. It won’t be easy but I believe in us.”

Shuichi nods. A small smile flickers on his face but it’s quick to disappear.

“Wow, what an inspiring speech!” Tsumugi cups her own cheeks in awe.

“I wouldn’t really call it a speech,” you say.

“Of course, only the Ultimate Writing Prodigy could come up with something so heart throbbing and wonderful.”

“I wouldn’t say—”

She takes your hands and lifts them up. “Your absolute faith in everyone is so beautiful. You are definitely full of hope, you can overcome any despair you see. And I, for one, can’t wait to watch that happen.”

Her eyes are bright, staring into yours in genuine admiration. She smiles even when you have no way to respond to any of that.

You settle with, “Umm... thanks?”

Tsumugi lets go of your hands and bounces to the front of the group. You can’t help but rub your fingers over where she held you.

_ She’s a weird one _.

Kokichi leads everyone outside. Korekiyo and Kibou hold the doors open. You and Shuichi thank them as you walk past. They both nod. You amble a little to make sure they catch up with the rest of the group.

Kibou looks around the outside. The dome, the grass, the pathways you tread along. He looks less excited now.

“You okay?” you ask.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he sighs deeply, “despite the situation, I can’t help but feel... relieved.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’m not used to seeing tall grass or nice paths or flowers. I understand that’s disheartening but... it brings me joy, somehow.”

You smile, “That’s good. I really hope we all find that kind of joy, against everything.”

He smiles back, “Me too.”

“Hey, where’s everyone going?”

You turn your head to see Kaito running to join the group.

“Kokichi thinks he found an exit,” Kibou says.

Kaito gasps. “Really?”

“Well, we don’t know for certain. He only said he found a manhole,” you add.

“But still, there’s a chance! I gotta go get everyone else,” Kaito starts to run off. “Be back in a sec!”

You watch him race to the dorms. He’s actually a lot faster than you expected. You and Kibou share a look of slight bemusement. You both laugh.

Kokichi stop in front of a building with a curved, glass roof and a prismatic base. The stone walls look dirty and worn out. Kokichi stands on the little steps leading to the faded red door.

“Here we are!” he poses to the door and grins, “Gotta warn you though, this place stinks more than all of us combined.”

As if he’d planned it, almost everyone started sniffing at their own clothes and skin. You almost did but stopped when you heard him snickering.

He places his hand on the handle and turns it. He throws himself into the room. One-by-one, everyone else walks in after him. Korekiyo and Shuichi have to duck to fit through.

Apart from the doorway, the boiler room appears to be quite spacious. Moss covers a majority of the tiles on the floor and it climbs up the walls, sinking into the cracks. You can’t see the boiler too well. Not only is it covered in every form of greenery there is, the sunlight pouring through the ceiling is near blinding. There are yellow frames near it, presumably to stop people from getting too close to the boiler.

Kibou coughs into his glove, “Now that everyone is gathered, could you tell us where the manhole is?”

“Not everyone,” you say.

“Right, Kaito went to go get everyone else,” Kibou shakes his head, “nevermind, forgive me.”

“You told Kaito about it?” Kokichi whines.

“He asked so we answered, there’s nothing wrong with him knowing,” you try not to raise your voice.

“Aww but now he’s just going to start another fight! That’s all he’s done so far.”

“He also caught you when you were about to fall from the staircase.”

“And interrupted my backflip, we’ve been over this.”

“You’re seriously not going to accept that he saved your life, are you?”

Kokichi huffs, “He didn’t save my life, he just got in the way so I’d die a little later.”

Shuichi tenses.

“Whatever, you’re impossible,” you groan, defeated.

“Himiko,” Kiyo crouches down beside her, “are you alright?”

She nods. Her eyes are wide, her pupils have shrunk. She’s shaking intensely. She does not look alright.

You look up at Shuichi. He’s having a similar reaction. 

“Hey, Shuichi?” you pat his arm to get his attention.

He whimpers as he looks down at you.

“Look at me. It’s okay. You’re okay. Deep breaths.”

You remember lots of classes where one kid would be super stressed before taking exams. One time, a counsellor came in and told them to breathe slowly in a certain way. You’ve been using it ever since to calm yourself. You take his hand.

“Follow me, okay? Breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out for six seconds.” You wait for him to respond. He squeezes your hand acknowledging. “Breathe in... 2... 3...4. Hold...2...3...4. Out...2...3...4...5...6.”

You repeat the pattern. Shuichi follows along. He looks less tense now. You think you can start asking questions.

“Okay then, can you tell me what happened?”

He shudders. “I-I just... when K-Kokichi s-said that, m-m-my heart jumped from my chest. I don’t kn-know why.”

You glance over at Kokichi.

“What? I didn’t do anything.”

Himiko wobbles closer to the centre of the room. “I don’t feel so... good. I want to... lie down.”

“I’ll take you to your dorm,” Korekiyo offers.

Kiyo takes Himiko’s arm and they walk out the door together. 

_ For a biker gang leader, they’re awfully sweet. _

Kaito steps through the door after the two have left. “Is something wrong with them?”

“Himiko doesn’t feel well so they’re going to their dorm,” Kibou summarises.

“Ah, right,” Kaito steps to the side. “Look who I found!”

Kirumi, Maki and Miu groan as they enter the room. None of them look as excited as Kaito. After them, Angie bounces through. 

“I’ve received a message from God! We’ve found an exit, yes?” they cheer.

“We don’t know, Kokichi found a manhole,” you clarify, again. 

Kaito scratches his neck. “Whoops, forgot to reword that part.”

You try not to sound too annoyed. “It’s okay. Now that we’re all here, why don’t we see where the manhole actually is?”

Kokichi leaps to the grass. “Behold! Our trip outta here!”

You look down. It’s oddly polished, a bronze reflection stares back at you. The academy’s crest is ingrained into it.

You’re suddenly not so sure about this.

“An important hole near some bush?” Miu cackles, “Sounds familiar, am I ri—”

Maki slaps a hand over Miu’s mouth. “Shut your trap, no-one cares.”

“I see, I see. But how do we lift it up?” Angie asks.

Kibou walks to the cover and places his hands on it. He digs his fingers under it and tries to lift. He strains as he tugs on the cover.

“Here, let me help. I pick up heavy machines all the time,” Maki walks over and holds onto the other side. She heaves as the two of them try to pull it out with all of their strength. 

The cover barely makes it off the ground. They drop the cover at the same time with disappointed grunts.

“Sorry, it’s too heavy,” Kibou shakes his head.

“Can’t Gonta lift it? I mean, that guy’s big as hell,” Kirumi says.

“Can Gonta even fit through the door?” you ask. You peer behind Maki and Miu to see Gonta standing outside.

Upon hearing you ask, he walks up the steps and crouches down. He has to squeeze but he is able to fit. Some stone falls as his towering figure pushes through the doorway.

“Alright!” Kaito beams, “Gonta, could you lift the manhole cover?”

“Gonta will try,” he says.

Everyone steps back to let him through. You also step back further from the manhole cover in case he gets any ideas to toss it. Shuichi follows close behind.

Gonta crouches down, places his hands on the manhole cover and lifts it out of the grass. Once he stands up, he takes one hand off and holds the cover between his finger and thumb. It’s as if he’s delicately holding a tissue.

“Upsy-daisy,” he smiles.

“Whoa! Way to go, big guy!” Kaito laughs. He starts clapping.

“Such strength, such a talented being,” Tsumugi fawns.

“...What should Gonta do with cover now?” Gonta scratches his cheek with his other hand.

“It would be best to leave it somewhere beside the manhole, maybe a little farther away,” Rantaro calmly says, “be careful to not injure anyone with it.”

Gonta carefully steps around the manhole and places it on the ground. Once Gonta has begun to rejoin the group, you step closer to the hole left behind. You can barely see a ladder descending into the darkness. You can’t see anything past it but you can feel damp, cool air drifting upward. 

“Wow, Gonta’s stronger than a soldier and an inventor!” Kokichi starts poking Kibou, “Did you see that? It was like nothing! And you had help and you _ still _ couldn’t lift it!”

“What is the point of this?” Kibou sighs.

“All I’m saying is that Gonta’s a martial artist and you’re a soldier and he’s a million times stronger! Maybe you should get into martial arts instead of those dirty battlefields.”

“Are you... trying to say something to me?”

Kokichi grins. “Maybe if you stopped killing people, you wouldn’t be as absurdly weak!”

The room falls silent. Somehow, everyone had forgotten that little fact about one of your classmates. Even if you and Tsumugi knew he was more of a nurse than a soldier, that still didn’t change his rank among everyone else. A killer. All eyes fall on Kibou as he struggles to say something to defend himself. Realising he can’t, he stares at the ground in shame.

An uncomfortable atmosphere pushes down on everyone in the room. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Shuichi attempting to hide behind you. Kokichi had singled out the most threatening person in the room with light-hearted pokes and grins but no-one was laughing anymore.

It takes a long time before someone speaks up.

“Kokichi, that was unnecessary,” Maki says, “Kibou doesn’t fight because he wants to, he fights because he has to.”

“I never said fighting was bad, just the killing part,” Kokichi folds his arms behind his head with an innocent stare.

“With the world we live in, the fights we fight require sacrifice. To end one life could save a million. To end ten could save a country. Kibou fights to keep us safe, isn’t that of more worth than fighting for sport?”

Kokichi slants his mouth. He doesn’t have more to say on that. You can’t tell if he even absorbed any of Maki’s words.

Kibou looks up, guilty. “Maki, you don’t have to—”

“It’s fine. Don’t let this idiot get to you.” Maki strides to the manhole and stands next to you. 

She stares down into the darkness. Her eyes are narrow and focused. She shifts her weight onto one leg and puts a hand on her hip.

“I’m going in.”

“B-but we don’t know what’s down there,” Shuichi warns.

“Yeah, wouldn’t it be safer if someone bigger went down first? That way, they could catch everyone else if someone falls,” Kaito suggests.

Maki turns her head over her shoulder, glaring. “I have a light on me and can catch just fine. I’m going down first.”

She rifles through her front pocket and takes out a small flashlight, about the length of her hand. She clicks it on and carefully steps onto the second rung. She holds the light between her teeth and grabs onto the first rung. She goes down the manhole. You can see the light descending with her but barely the shape of Maki herself.

She takes the flashlight out of her mouth and calls to the surface. “What are you waiting for?” It echoes the tight walls.

You shudder. Heights aren’t something you’re exactly fond of to be honest. You look around. No-one really seems that excited to go next.

You take a deep breath. Shuffling to the edge of the manhole, you are the next to descend down into the darkness. You crawl to the rungs and reach your foot down to step on the second one. You cling to the top rung for dear life.

“B-be careful, please,” Shuichi weakly says.

You give him a smile. It’s not a genuine one, you’re scared as hell. You tremble as you step onto the third rung, moving your hands down to the second. You start to fall into a rhythm by the time your foot reaches the sixth.

Kirumi goes next. You’re not sure what conversation lead to that happening. You would’ve thought she would be bothered in case she tears her skirt but—

_ Oh, that’s why. _

From that, you can guess that Miu is going to be the last one to come down.

You hear shoes clack under you. You think Maki has finally reached the floor. You have to speed up now that Kirumi’s shoes are almost crushing your fingers. 

You reach the floor. You can’t see anything down here. Something grabs your arm.

“Are you alright?” Maki asks. She shines the flashlight on her face so you can see her.

You nod. 

She looks up at the ladder. “I didn’t expect it to be this dark. Might have to use the brighter setting.”

She flips the flashlight and pushes a button on the end. The flashlight clicks and begins to change form. Slowly, it pushes out panels of metal and swaps pieces of itself around to make itself bigger. A handle rises from the middle and curves to meet the end with the buttons. Once it’s finished, Maki pushes the on button. The light floods the room. Some people unfortunate enough to get caught in it shield their eyes and walk around to get behind it.

Maki aims it toward the floor to keep it out of everyone’s eyes. “Much better.”

“Did you make that?” you ask, kind of breathless.

“Yes, I did. I don’t usually have to change it to a brighter mode but it’s always good to have on, I guess.” She shrugs as if this isn’t the most incredible thing you’ve ever seen.

Once everyone reaches the bottom, Maki leads the search. She shines it to the wall left to the ladder. Metal pipes snake down the dirty wall and up to the boiler above. The ceiling drips with water, forming puddles on the underground.

Drawing the light to the right, you see metal barrels in the corner. Some are tipped over, some are leaning on the ones standing up straight. 

The wall on the opposite side is nothing special. Some patches of grass grow from the drips falling from above. The room is pretty spacious, you don’t see anything to trip over that isn’t pushed to the corner.

To the right side is another monitor. Being reminded of the fact you can receive announcements pretty much anywhere is not helping in terms of how safe you feel. Farther along the wall is a tunnel. There’s a sign pointed to it. You step to the sign.

“Exit,” you read aloud.

“What is this place...?” Maki wonders.

“By the look of it, I would suspect an old industrial tunnel of some sort,” says Rantaro.

“Like, from a factory?” Kirumi folds her arms, “The hell is it doing under a school?”

“Maybe there used to be a factory here and they just built over it?” Kaito shrugs.

Shuichi shakes. “B-but the state of the school would also mean it’s been abandoned. Would they really abandon a factory, build a school over it and then abandon that too?” 

“Hey, are we seriously ignoring the sign that says “EXIT”? Aren’t we looking for an exit? Isn’t that why we came down here?” Kokichi calls.

“I don’t mean to be the doubter of good news but...” Rantaro starts, “isn’t this just a little too convenient? We find a manhole and face no defiance and there just happens to be an exit at the end of a tunnel?”

_ It’s all too easy, isn’t it? _

That thought keeps playing in your mind. That face he made when he told you you could be wrong. It plays over and over and over again. He’s planted the seed of doubt in your mind and it won’t stop growing. It just grows and grows until—

“No need to worry!” you exclaim, “It only looks scary from here. We’re all Ultimates, aren’t we? When we work together, we can get through anything!”

Ryoma shuffles behind you.

“Ah! Another inspiring speech!” Tsumugi gushes.

“Whoa, I was totally thinking the same thing! We’ve already conquered the dark with our talents so there’s nothing we can’t do,” Kaito grins.

“_ I _ conquered the dark. _ You _clung onto Gonta after you got off the ladder,” Maki huffs.

Kaito starts to shout, “I-I wasn’t—”

“It doesn’t matter who did what, just as long as we’re all here together,” you reiterate.

“Well, except Korekiyo and Himiko,” Kibou corrects.

“Sh-should someone go get them?” Shuichi asks. “I can go. To be honest, I d-don’t feel safe down here.”

“But we’re so close to the end! We can’t turn around now,” you’re desperate to get everyone back onto your side.

“Honestly, I kind of hate this place too. Maybe I could go check out the music room Shuichi was talking about.”

“Yeah, I was fine looking for cards ‘till this marine idiot dragged me down here. I’m cold and wet and not in the good way!”

“Who you callin’ an idiot?”

Kokichi sighs, “Uh, you. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have to ask her that, idiot.”

“I don’t think it would be wise to continue onward.”

“If my calculations are correct, I think I’m on the bad luck part of my cycle. I think I have a bad feeling about this...”

“I just don’t think that, given our circumstances, we can expect it would really be—”

_ Don’t _.

“That—”

** _Don’t._ **

“Easy.”

You snatch the flashlight from Maki’s grip. You wave it around the group calling “Hey! Hey! Hey!" They stop arguing and cover their eyes.

“Would you all listen to me for a second?” you say, aiming the light away from their faces.

You have everyone’s attention.

“Okay, I get that we’re all scared and untrusting but we can’t seriously stay here and call it a day. You heard what those bear things said and frankly, I don’t feel like playing along their ‘killing game’ idea. There is a chance to escape right in front of us! If we’re all so afraid of it then how about we focus and come up with a plan first?”

Everyone who isn’t rubbing their eyes stares at you. They seem enamoured to some degree.

“So here’s what I propose. We all go in, test the waters and if we think it’s safe to cross over, Kaito or Gonta can go back and get Kiyo and Himiko so we can all escape together. Once we get out, then we can worry about playing cards or music or swimming or whatever else we want to do.” You sigh deeply, “Does that sound fair enough?”

“Y-yeah! That sounds fair,” Shuichi encourages.

“Seems good enough for me,” Ryoma shrugs.

“Yup, yup! God thinks that’s a good plan too!” 

You smile with relief. “Then let’s go into this together with a little more... umm...”

“Hope!” Tsumugi shouts.

“I was going to say optimism but hope works too. Let’s go together with hope!”

Tsumugi giggles to herself. “Haha, hope. It’s wonderful when you say it.”

You try to hand the light back to Maki but she shakes her head. You guess you’re the party leader on this little quest now. With determination, you turn around to face the tunnel. Illuminating the tunnel makes it look longer than what you originally thought it was but at this point, nothing can stop you now.

You take a step into the darkness.

...

... ...

_ Falling. _

That feeling of falling is all you remember.

One minute you were walking down some stairs. The next...

The endless pit consumed you, edging you closer to death when your soul left your body. An unknown force pulled you out of your flesh and coiled you along its string. You could not breathe, you couldn’t remember how to. An alien to your own empty cage adrift in the nothingness.

...

“Ugh... What...?”

Your back is cold, your sweater feels damp. You slowly open your eyes. You touch a hand to your chest. You’re... breathing. You’re alive. 

_ Did I... faint again? _

You try to sit up from the floor. Groaning bones shudder when you try to put weight onto them. You can’t hold yourself up for long. The wall behind you is too far away to shuffle to.

“Ah! Y-you’re awake,” Shuichi crawls to you on his hands and knees. “A-are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” you lie. You really have to force yourself to sit up properly.

You look around the room. Everyone else is sitting on the ground, their heads hung and ashamed. Maki taps her fingers along her leg with the flashlight beside her. Kaito has his coat wrapped around his figure, shivering slightly. Kibou, despite his strengths, can only muster the energy to pull his knees to his chest and bury his head inside.

Even Kokichi and Angie are left to fiddle with their clothes and stare down looking sorry for themselves.

“What... happened to us?” you ask.

“A-after we all walked in, the ground fell under you and while we panicked, Maki grabbed the light and tried to get as far as possible but... we couldn’t get that far. I-it was strange, I-I’ve never felt so...”

“Soulless?” you guess.

“Full of despair,” says Tsumugi. She takes off her glasses and swings the temple around in her fingers.

“Despair?” you shift onto your knees.

“The absence of hope. The feeling that there is no light at the end of the tunnel,” she half-heartedly chuckles, “heh, literally, I suppose.”

“Now I really wanna find my guitar and make a theme song for this ‘despair’ thing or whatever,” Kirumi says. She plucks at the air and pretends she’s cradling a guitar. She plays it somberly. After a while, she drops her hands into her lap and rolls her head on the wall.

“Jeez, this is quite the pity party you’re all having, huh?”

Monokuma’s teasing voice says in the darkness. It giggles and mocks and crushes something in your chest.

“Wow, you all look so worn out. You poor things, I feel sorry for you,” Monophanie’s voice replicates sweetness but there’s nothing good behind that facade.

“Don’t pretend you feel anything but gross, sadistic pleasure from watching us suffer,” Rantaro growls.

“A-are they actually sadists? Do you think they were watching us and j-just, y’know...” Miu shakes. 

Something goes CLANG.

“Ow!” Miu whines.

Maki grabs Kokichi’s wrist and glares with fire in her eyes. “Steal from me again and I’ll tie you up and crush your fingers with a vice.”

“But you totally would’ve done the same thing!” Kokichi complains.

“So you finally crawled out of your little holes and noticed we were up to something,” Kaito snarls.

Monokuma tilts its head. “...Noticed?”

It doesn’t take long for the realisation to settle in.

“You mean you knew the whole time?” Ryoma’s voice is filled with worry.

“Uh-huh! We watched you botch your little escape plan and everything.”

Maki rises to her knees, “So then this was a trap.”

“There was _ no _ exit?” Tenko says, her eyes twitching.

“No, there is,” Monophanie says, nodding its bear head.

_ Huh? _

“You guys could make it if you all worked together,” Monotaro adds.

“With the power of all of the Ultimates, you can accomplish anything!” cheers Monophanie.

Monokuma grins, “And if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”

With that, Monokuma disappears from the room followed by its strange bear children.

If she could muster the words, you’re sure Tsumugi would start talking about a new hope. You would like to believe that too. 

You look over at Rantaro who is now sitting cross-legged and holding his chin in his hand, deep in thought.

“Escape if we work hard enough...” he mumbles. 

“What a load of bullshit! Workin’ hard has never given me anything. It’s fuckin’ impossible and they’re just messing with us,” Miu rants.

Ryoma sighs, “Hate to agree with her but I think she’s right about it being impossible.”

“So instead of blocking off every exit, they give us a sliver of hope to make us desperate to go home,” Tsumugi shakes her head, “that’s rotten, truly they are the icons for despair itself.”

“Would you shut your hole about hope and despair already? At least I could understand you being a weeb but now I’m convinced it’s a kink,” Miu shouts.

“Sorry, old habits die hard. I’ll try to do better,” she apologises.

You feel well enough to stand to your feet. “But we can’t just give up, right? We only failed once and if there is a possibility we can escape then we have to take it!”

“But didn’t they just say it was impossible?” Kirumi folds her arms in front of her chest.

“If Monokuma said there was an exit at the end then that means it’s possible. It may take another try, maybe a lot of tries but if we all do our very best, we can overcome anything!”

“Monokuma could of been trying to deceive us,” Rantaro says.

You are getting quite annoyed with him. “First of all, could _ have _ not could _ of _. Second of all, that’s a risk I’m willing to take!” You stand up tall. “I don’t care for doubt or worry, I wanna believe we don’t have to live in a killing game and that we can all work together and get along. I wanna live without fear and be able to stand beside you all as not just classmates but as friends.”

“F-friends?” Shuichi’s face lights up.

You smile. “Best friends. Friends that can rely on each other and live in harmony. Our struggles leave us united, not apart. When we are down, we pick each other up and we are bonded together as equals. Doesn’t that sound like a plan?”

Gonta stands up and pumps his fists. “Gonta like plan! Good plan!”

“Yeah, doesn’t sound so bad,” Ryoma agrees.

“...My stage persona would usually make me say this is lame and corny but...” Kirumi shakes her head and smirks, “Screw it, count me in!”

“Y-yeah! I’ll do my best to make that happen too!” Shuichi stands beside you, a new pride in his puffed chest.

Tsumugi wipes a tear from her eye. “Couldn’t have said it better. What luck to be inspired by such greatness. And to be friends, my heart can’t take this anymore.”

“What a beautiful idea, indeed.”

_ Ah, that voice! _

You turn around, “Kiyo?”

“You’re back?” Tenko looks around for something, “Where’s Himiko?”

“They have since calmed down from their anxiety attack with some relaxing sketching and some much-needed rest. I did not wish to interrupt anything so I came down as quietly as I could.” Kiyo holds a hand to their heart. “I sincerely apologise if I scared anyone.”

“No apology needed, you came just in time for us to try escaping,” you smile.

Kaito beams. “Now we have a little more backup, let’s get in there and show Monokuma what we can do!” 

“Hell yeah, we can do it!” Kokichi cheers.

Angie clasps their hands together. “I can feel the divine winds of fate flowing through us. Surely, it means we cannot lose.”

“So this is how we will confront our adversity. Not as individuals at war but as a team with bond. I’m most pleased that we are all quite the same,” Kiyo’s voice is soft and optimistic.

“I agree! Together, our strengths will outweigh our differences. We cannot be defeated,” Kibou stands beside you and nods with determination.

With everyone to their feet and raring to go, you walk over to Maki. She hands you the flashlight and fixes her goggles over her eyes.

“I’ll do my best,” she promises.

You shine the light into the tunnel. With confidence and nearly a whole class of Ultimates behind you, you step into the tunnel once more.

_ This time _ , you think, _ this time, we’ll make it. _

  


...

... ...

The pain you feel is immeasurable. Your skin feels it could burn right off of your body like the wallpaper would peel off in a house on fire. The soles of your feet have been crucified, stuck together by a sharp twisting in your bones. Yet you do not bleed.

No rope of blood or pool beneath your wounds appear to at least convince you the pain could be fixed. No open flesh or broken bones or bruises on your skin, just the feeling of suffering everywhere at once. 

...

... ...

... ... ...

“Nghh...”

That searing pain hasn’t left but at least there’s some light in the void you’ve found yourself in. 

_ Is everyone fainting or is that just me? _

You’re a bit nervous about asking.

Miu stomps her boots on the ground. “Fucking hell, we didn’t get any closer than before.” 

“That’s not true, we made it past the second gate,” Tenko corrects.

“We can’t give up after that, we were doing so well.” Kokichi bounces with new-found energy, “Come on, lemme at ‘em!”

“W-wait, Kaede just woke up,” Shuichi leans over you, his eyebrows creased with concern.

“No, it’s okay,” you wave off and sit up. “I’m awake and... ready to go.”

“A-are you sure?”

“Positive. This time, we’ll reach the end!”

“This time,” Kibou reaches a hand to lift you to your feet.

With slightly less determination but some optimism left, you and everyone else walk over to Maki as she stands up.

“I’m going again and everything but I’m keeping the flashlight on me,” Maki comments, brushing the dust and dirt from her overalls, “no offence but having to swoop in every time to catch it is becoming a chore.”

“O-okay, fair enough,” you say, slightly embarrassed.

Maki takes a deep breath and steps into the tunnel. “This time,” she whispers.

_ This time! _

_ This time. _

This time...

...

But it’s not good enough,

Unwillingly stuck in a cycle of failure and promise and failure and promise, it becomes harder and harder to rise up again. Each time the darkness swallows you whole, it takes a little longer to see the light. Your bones crack in places they’ve never cracked before. Your heart rings in your ears and pounds against your chest as if it were trying to escape.

But you fall again.

So you say “This time,” and pray it will be.

But you fail again.

“This time.”

Endless failure drowns out the promises and slowly but surely, it gets harder and harder to believe in anything but the migraines you keep receiving every time you open your eyes.

The room spins as you recover from unconsciousness again.

“Failed... again,” Gonta pants.

“Damn it!” Kaito’s shout is hoarse as he leans against the wall.

Kirumi groans and falls to her knees. “Don’t think I can... keep up anymore.”

You can’t stop shaking as you try to sit up from the ground. Shuichi hovers his hands around you to suggest support but he doesn’t touch you. You barely make it to your knees. 

“Wait, we can’t give up. This time, we’ll—”

“Stop it.”Rantaro’s voice catches you off guard. It’s cold and on the verge of falling apart. His polite tone seems to vanish.

“What?”

He stares right into your eyes. “I thought your leadership was admirable at first but this has gone too far.” 

Miu jabs a finger into your chest, pushing you back down to your butt. “We’re not a team working together to escape. We’re just your group of dogs on a leash being dragged around hell and back.”

“H-hell?” you stutter.

“Here’s what you’ve done,” Maki holds her fingers out to start counting, “you’ve given us a moral obligation to agree to throw ourselves into danger when we’ve just finished recovering from the last of our injuries with no rest or results. Denying your rule means we are lesser and comparable to our captives and obeying your orders brings nothing but suffering. We cannot win either way. Does that not sound like hell to you?”

“N-no, I wasn’t—”

Rantaro steps closer, shaking his head. “There are just some things that are not possible. No amount of rousing speeches and false hope will change that. We should accept that giving up is an option, it always was.”

Kaito pushes Rantaro. “Hey, you’ve got no right to speak to her that way! Quit being so selfish!”

Miu shoves him back. “Look around, we’re not pulling this out of our asses.” 

You look around the room. Almost everyone is on the floor, exhausted beyond compare. Maki glances at you. She tucks the flashlight away so you can’t see it anymore. 

“Nobody wants to go again. We’re tired, we’re hungry and now we’re fucking covered in scars. And Kiyo came down and felt so inspired by your made-up fantasy happy ending that now they’ve been dragged through the shit hole too. Have we not fucking worked hard enough for you yet?” 

Your heart sinks. Her tongue lashes what everyone must be thinking. No-one interrupts or tells her to stop. It’s the one thing you’ve accepted today.

“I don’t know what kind of shitty leader you think you are but you sure as hell aren’t mine.”

She looks down on you. She looks like she’s ready to spit on your face. She stomps to the ladder and climbs up.

Rantaro sighs and scratches his cheek. “I’m sorry, I can’t do this anymore. I thought this wouldn’t be easy but... even you must know this is pointless. You’re on your own now.”

He gives Kaito a sad look as he turns and steps toward the ladder. You don’t watch him climb all the way up.

His words sting more now than they ever did before. You stare down at the hands in your lap. Now left alone with his words, your body tries to close itself off from everyone else. Your eyes grow wet. Your heart rests on the bottom of your ribcage. It rocks as if it were riding a rocky ocean before a storm. You struggle to keep down the choking sounds that come with sobs.

“Well...” Kokichi slowly makes it to his feet and stretches his back. It pops in several places, he groans at each one. “Since we’re kinda out of ideas, why don’t we just go up and look for another way out?”

Kaito shakes his head. “Have you been paying attention? There _ is _no other way out. There’s this tunnel and that’s it.”

“Maybe not physically. Maybe not that you can see.”

“Are you perhaps suggesting... the killing game?” Kibou asks with concern.

“Maybe! Like I said, we’ve got no other ideas so we might have to think outside the box a little.”

Tenko stalks to Kokichi. She grabs him by the ends of his hair and yanks him closer. He whines and tries to shuffle away.

“Oww! L-let go, I wasn’t serious!” Kokichi flails his arms around uselessly.

“Oh, I’ve got a couple of ideas that are a little outside the box,” she tugs hard, “the one I’m thinking of is smashing your head into the ground.”

“Tenko, let go of him,” Ryoma says sternly.

“Give me a second—”

“Tenko,” Ryoma’s eyes swirl in dark fury.

“He deserves it this time. First that idiot makes Kaede sad and now this little degenerate is saying something stupid—”

“Be mad at me, not him,” you interrupt.

“K-Kaede...” Shuichi mumbles.

“I’m sorry, everyone. This is all my fault. Kokichi doesn’t deserve this. You should be throwing me for being so stupid.”

“D-don’t be saying shit like that! The hell are _ you _ apologising for?! It’s not your fault at all!” Kaito shouts.

Maki stares at him. With no real emotion, she says, “Actually, it really is.”

“How? Tell me how exactly it’s her fault!”

“Do you really want me to repeat myself?”

“I didn’t agree with you. Give me another reason.”

“Well, it was her fault we decided to trust Kokichi to find the manhole and climb inside. It was her fault she caused us to go in the tunnel all of those times with those rousing speeches. It was her fault that she wouldn’t let us give up. It was her fault that she caused Miu and Rantaro to tip over the edge.” Maki dusts off her overalls, taking out the flashlight from her pocket. “There, happy now?”

“N-no, of course not! Those two being angry is their fault, not hers. They didn’t have to say all of those things!”

“But if they hadn’t, we’d all be in there killing ourselves before we could kill each other,” Maki’s tone becomes more aggressive.

“So you’re saying it’s wrong of her to want to get out without killing our friends?”

“We are NOT _ friends _!” she screams, pushing Kaito back. “Unlike those books she writes or those stupid shows Tsumugi watches, real life isn’t some fantasy world where everything just works out because we want it to. Before we came here, we could live however we wanted in our little bubbles and pretend the laws could save us but now there are no laws. Now it’s kill or be killed and if you can’t accept that then you’re going to live for very long and if that’s what happens then so be it.”

Kaito stares down at her in shock, slightly agape.

She shoves the flashlight into his chest. “Here. You can go waste your time down here for all I care. I’m done with giving a damn.”

Maki storms to the ladder and climbs up.

Tenko finally lets go of Kokichi’s hair. She claps off the stray pieces stuck onto her skin.

Kaito cradles the flashlight in his hands and looks down at it. His fiery passion is gone. All that’s left is the sound of dripping somewhere in the other corner of the room.

Ding dong, bing bong.

The monitor makes static sounds.

“This is an official announcement from the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles,” Monosuke starts.

“It is now 10 P.M. Nighttime officially starts now,” says Monotaro.

“The dining hall and gym are locked during nighttime, so be careful,” says Monophanie.

There’s a pocket of quiet.

The Monokubs laugh maniacally, “Sweet dreams!”

The video cuts out.

Nobody moves, too wrapped up in the atmosphere of the room. You can’t move. You’re stuck to the ground. If you had the strength, you’d lay on your side and just sink into the floor. You could just disappear. Nothing would change at all except you’d be rid of the aching in your chest. 

_ Like a wilted flower, she could fall apart from a single touch. She could lay under the heavy waves as they tossed her around. Unmoving, unbreathing. The air from her lungs could no better light a small flame. The fire was gone, and so too was her hope. _

_ ... _

_ That sounded stupid. _

  
Kaito points the flashlight to the ladder. Without a word to say, Kokichi climbs up to the surface. Then Angie, then Kirumi, Gonta, Tenko, Ryoma and, with hesitation, Kibou.

All that’s left is you, Shuichi, Kaito, Kiyo and Tsumugi.

Kiyo walks to the ladder and places a hand onto it. They don’t go up. They look down at you.

“I thought your ending sounded wonderful,” they reminisce, softly, “united as friends and partners, working together. I’m sorry we couldn’t make that happen today.”

You shake your head, “No, it was stupid. Don’t be sorry.”

Kiyo shifts their eyes away. Their breathing is quiet, slow and calm. “If it is of any consolation, that doesn’t sound like a fantasy. That kind of dream is just as real as the sky above. Even if I am saddened by the circumstances, I have not for a second regretted meeting you, Kaede.”

They lean down and gently pat your arm. Their face is soft, eyelids crinkled just a little past their eyes. You can’t see their mouth but they are smiling. It’s warm.

Kiyo takes the sleeves of their jacket and ties it around their neck to secure it in place. They ascend the ladder.

Kaito hands walks up to you, flashing the light away from your face. “I think we should all call it a night. No use waiting around this place. Here,” he tries to hand you the light but you don’t take it.

Tsumugi walks to him and takes it from him instead.

Kaito sighs. “Hey, since nighttime ends at - what was it, seven? Or eight. - sometime around eight and the dining hall should open, do you think we all meet up at there around then?”

When you don’t respond, Shuichi clears his throat. “I-I don’t see why not. I think it I c-could do that.”

“Yeah, that sounds good to me,” Tsumugi smiles. 

She holds the flashlight in front of her legs. She taps on your arm to get your attention. When you look into her eyes, she lends you a hand.

“Let’s go up now,” she says, “we’ll all feel a lot better in the morning. That is, if fiction has taught me anything. Tomorrow is another day, as it goes.”

“Yeah, maybe,” you mutter.

You slowly take her hand. She pulls a lot harder than you do. It still hurts to stand but at least your clothes won’t be as wet when you’re on your feet. 

Shuichi stands next to you. “I-I don’t think you need to let their words get to you. I didn’t think you were forcing us to do anything.”

Hearing his anxious voice with that trembling smile that tries so hard to be as supportive as possible makes you want to try a little harder for him. From the panic attack before and what you pulled him and everyone else through. What you pulled _ him _ through specifically with the basement and running off without him. That he still called you his friend, that he is still by your side, that he even cares enough to still be down here in the darkness. Maybe it’s his fear of being alone. Maybe you’re reading too much into this. But regardless, there’s something about him that makes you sorry you can’t seem to pull your own weight right now.

“...Thanks, Shuichi,” you feign a smile.

Tsumugi shines the light to the ladder. Kaito is the first to climb up. Shuichi goes next. You look at Tsumugi, expecting her to go before you.

She shakes her head, “You go next. With the way you’ve been fainting recently, I want to make sure someone’s there to catch you.”

_ Someone’s here to catch me. _

Something flutters in your chest. Your heart feels like it’s not sinking anymore. The sea is settling, the gentle tides carry it to the shores, out of the depths of your ribcage. 

“Thank you,” you say. You reach to touch her hand but hesitate. Seeing your reluctance, she smiles and pats your shoulder.

“I’ve got you.”

When she moves away to let you through, you grab the rung and start to climb. You’re a little shaky but knowing Tsumugi is there makes you feel less tense.

When you reach the surface, Kaito and Shuichi are already gone. You wait for Tsumugi to get to the top. She’s struggling a little bit since she also has to carry the flashlight but she still smiles when she sees you above. She grips onto the ladder and hands you the light. You take it and look around the back to see where the shrink button is. You click a button. The light turns off.

_ Well, that’s a start at least. _

You push the one next to it and it shifts just like before. It shrinks so it’s about as long as the distance between the bottom of your hand to the tip of your middle finger.

“Ah, that would’ve been useful to know before I climbed up,” Tsumugi chuckles.

She’s having a hard time completely climbing out of the manhole, sort of sprawled on the grass with her legs dangling near the rungs. 

“Here, let me help.” 

You toss the light in your bag and reach for her hands. You wait for her to raise her foot to the first rung and then pull her up to the surface. She stumbles a little. She leans too far into your pull and bumps into you. You step back. Still holding your hands, she pushes herself back to her own feet.

She giggles. “Sorry. Forgot I was little bit of a klutz.” 

“No no, it’s okay,” you say.

She lifts her shoulder and ducks her head like a turtle when she laughs. The moonlight from above catches her bright, blue hair and dull ring of light shines near the roots. Soft cheeks dusted pink. Her glasses slip a little from her face, you wonder if she’s noticed yet. Her skin is warm under your fingers.

You look down at your hands.

  
“Oh,” you pull them away in embarrassment, “sorry, didn’t notice we were still—”

“No it’s fine! I didn’t notice either, it’s just—”

“I wasn’t sure if you were still stable or—”

“I thought it was just—”

“Sorry.”

“Sorry.”

Flustered, you coil a strand of hair around your finger and look away. She brings her hands to her skirt and plays with the fabric. There’s a bright but embarrassed smile on her face even while she’s looking down. 

If there were any bugs in this dome, crickets would surely be chirping to fill the quiet. Maybe some wind to shudder the leaves in the evening chill. If it were home, the ringing chimes of the windcatcher from your neighbour’s garden. It’s the little things that make the silence more bearable. And none of them are here.

“Hey, I’m sorry for what happened down there. I’m sure nobody meant any harm,” she says softly.

You shake your head, “No, it’s okay. I understand why they needed me to stop.”

“But they could’ve at least apologised. Like,” she takes a deep breath and her voice grows more squealy. 

“Sorry I yelled at you made you feel like shit, that was completely stupid of me.” She sounds exactly like Miu.

“How...? How do you sound just like her?” You stare hard at her.

Her voice goes back to normal. “Huh? Oh, guess I never told you.”

“That’s incredible! Who else can you sound like?”

“O-oh, um,” her face has gone red, “I can impersonate a lot of people. Hold on...”

She looks away and clears her throat. “Neeheehee! That was just a joke!”

“How can you sound just like Kokichi?”

“Wait, guess who this is!”

She puts her hands behind her back. “S-sorry, I-I’m not really good at th-this sort of thing.”

“Easy, that’s Shuichi.”

“Ooh, how about this?”

She puts her hands to her hips. “This blows! Absolutely uncool, can’t believe this crap!”

You chuckle, “That’s Kirumi. Come on, this is too easy.”

“Okay okay, one more,” she giggles and pushes her glasses up her face.

“Hey, let’s work together and be full of hope.”

That catches you off guard a bit. “That’s... me.”

Her smile drops, “Was that too far?”

“No it’s just... hard to hear my voice coming out of someone else’s mouth.”

“I get it, I should have asked first.”

“But that’s a really cool skill to have! Are you sure you’re not the Ultimate Impersonator?”

She scratches her cheek, embarrassed. “Pretty sure. I think my luck trumps my impersonations.”

You both giggle for a bit, she impersonates a couple more people. Some part of you knows you should be asleep but as long as she’s here, you don’t think you could ever leave. The laughter dies down and yet, you’re still smiling. The quiet isn’t unwelcome. Gentle drops of water echo from underground.

“We should probably find a place to sleep,” Tsumugi finally says, “we could find some space in the grass or something.”

“Actually, there’s a dormitory not that far from here. Wouldn’t it make more sense to sleep there?” 

She sticks her hands in her vest pockets. “Oh, okay. That sounds much better.”

You both start to head for the dorms. You’re showing her where it is but you still walk side-by-side.

“You were really considering sleeping in the grass?” you ask.

“I’ve slept in worse,” she shrugs.

“But didn’t you have a rich father and a library?”

“Yeah, my house burned down a couple of years ago. I lost all of my hair and had to sleep on the streets.”

_ Is that also why you’re not wearing shoes? _

“It sucked for a while but then I also found a really nice restaurant man who fed me and gave me a home and became my new friend!” She looks to the side, “Actually, was he more like a dad? I’m not too sure. Either way, things worked out fine in the end.”

You blink in surprise. “You were serious when you said your luck dictates your life?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? The Ultimate Lucky Student should have the luck to earn that title, right? It’s like if a so-called genius supervillain wasn’t smart enough to even plan the evils they want to do. Seriously, so many shows are clueless when it comes to their villains.”

You keep walking but stare off into space. The air doesn’t feel as crisp or as real as the air from home. You don’t understand it but even the stars beyond the glass don’t feel like the ones at home. Like staring out from the other side of a mirror. When you know it’s real but you have to step back and touch it to truly believe it. The reflection of the entirety of space makes you feel a sense of loneliness, isolation, longing. Now that there is a visible barrier, the sky feels so much farther away.

“Do you think I do that?” you ask, still staring up into the dark.

“Hm? Do what?”

“When I write, does it ever feel... fake? Like a character is labelled as one thing but the way they act contradicts it.”

She enthusiastically shakes her head. “Your books have nothing in common with those terrible shows! Your characters have depth and it feels more real than reality itself! If you could rewrite the universe, the only difference it would make is that every human would be more happy and fulfilled.”

You can’t help but laugh, sadly, “Mainly ‘cause reality wasn’t written to be fair and satisfying.”

“Which is why I love everything you write,” she bounces from foot-to-foot, trying to keep in her excited squeals, “happy endings, satisfying arcs, overcoming adversity. Some critics could say it’s overdone but truly, nothing is more special than a reader escaping the bad and letting the writer re-define an ideal life. That is the beauty of fiction.”

“I... had never thought of it that way.”

Tsumugi continues to rant about fiction and stories the whole way to the dreadful dorms. Her obsession with the fake and fantasy feels inherently childish but the way she goes into detail about her favourite plots, arcs, twists, characterisations and tropes feels like a breath of fresh air. She admits to having a soft spot for fairytale stories or underappreciated movies with strangely complex plots. While she appreciates the odd superhero or action story, nothing really captures the heart of the human condition better than romance or journey stories. She plays with the horseshoe pinned to her vest while listing characters who play with stereotypes to create complex narratives. You wish you had a pad to take notes.

“Um, shouldn’t we go in?” she asks.

“Hm?”

You have to snap out of a trance. You... you’re outside of the dormitory.

You wring your hands. “Uh... For how long have we been standing outside?”

“Dunno,” she shrugs.

“Well... it’s probably late, we should head inside.”

You step in front of the door and it slides open automatically. Tsumugi follows close behind.

You walk up the steps, past the sets of stairs and then walk down the steps again. Tsumugi makes it to the middle but stops to spin around. She’s searching for something.

“Ah, there it is,” she says. 

She goes down the steps and finds her room. It’s next to Miu’s which is next to yours. You sort of wish they could swap rooms. You think you’d feel a lot safer knowing Tsumugi was beside you.

You place your hand on the vertical handle.

“Hey, Kaede,” Tsumugi lowers her voice.

“Yeah?”

She gently smiles, “Goodnight.”

You smile too, “‘Night, Tsumugi.”

You pull the door to slide it open.

Inside your room, the colour theme is a feminine red. If you had to guess, the boys’ rooms might be a more masculine pink. Or a more neutral blue for those who don’t identify as either. Or everyone’s rooms might be red. You don’t know.

You slide the door closed.

There’s a red sofa chair a little farther into the room, to the left of where you’re standing. Near that, a small table. On the table is a stand with six hooks sticking out on all sides and on one of these hooks is a single, dangling key. Against the left wall sits a T.V on a cabinet.

You look to the right. About a twin XL size bed with a red pillow and covers sits with the headpost against the wall. Farther still is a desk with drawers with a chair and rubbish bin.

You lift your bag off from your shoulder and drop it on the sofa chair. 

You amble to the bed, picking the clips and slipping your elastic out of your hair and taking off your vest. You’re not _ not _ used to the idea of sleeping in your day clothes but given the chance, you would prefer to not have to sleep in your sweater. Especially since, as far as you know, there’s no deodorant to be found anywhere.

Or a bathroom. 

_ What kind of dorm room doesn’t have a bathroom? _

Considering all of the running, falling, fainting and just general physical activity today, you’re unsure you want to continue wearing your turtleneck to bed. It feels kind of awkward to think about but it is for personal hygiene reasons and you’re pretty sure you don’t want to sleep with sweat stinking up the room.

...

With reluctance, you take off the turtleneck and climb into the bed.

When skin hits sheet, suddenly everything is still. Your muscles that trembled are now sinking into the mattress. You had hardly noticed the headache before but with the pillow resting beneath you, the throbbing lingers for a moment and then stops. Your heart pounds in your ears.

You’ve never felt more exhausted.

...

But sleep is a cruel mistress.

Though some nights you could gladly rest atop her lap with not a care in the world, this is not one of those nights.

You really thought you could escape today. As long as you never gave up, tried your best, just believed hard enough and somehow that could just whisk your worries away. Just power through it all until it was chipped enough to crumble. That’s what writing was, you just wrote bit by bit every day. Even if it was just a small sentence or a dot point for the basic plot, you always just chipped away at the story until it was finished.

But even after those tries, it never felt like you’d gone backwards. If something was done, it was done. You didn’t have to think about it. It was just... natural.

When you chip... and chip... it just works out.

But... nothing is... ever that easy...

_ Maybe she’s right. _

You close your eyes.

_ Maybe I’m too stupid to see reality. _

...

It takes at least another twenty minutes until you finally fall into a deep sleep.

  



	4. This Class Trial, My Class Trial - Daily Life II

[_The audience chats among themselves as they take their seats. The theatre is brimming with life and excitement. _

_ The stage curtains part. The audience is silent. The downstage centre stage sits a microphone on a stand. A _

_ projector begins to play a static film cast on the wall. The audience murmurs in anticipation. _ _MONOKUMA appears _

_ from stage right. The murmurs quiet down as he stands behind the microphone stand.] _

MONOKUMA Ladies and gentlemen and people and robots, the time has come for the first act! 

Thank you for being patient with the wait, I know having to watch those pesky 

kids introduce themselves to each other can be a hassle but, as I’m sure, it must 

be done. Can’t have characters knowing each other by name for no reason now, 

can we?

[_ The projector begins to play something new. It’s a distant shot of KAEDE and TSUMUGI walking to the dormitory together.] _

TSUMUGI If you could rewrite the universe, the only difference it would make is that every 

human would be more happy and fulfilled.

KAEDE (Quietly laughing) Mainly ‘cause reality wasn’t written to be fair and satisfying.

[_ The audience gives a chuckle. _]

TSUMUGI Which is why I love everything you write! Happy endings, satisfying arcs, 

overcoming adversity. Some critics could say it’s overdone but truly, nothing is 

more special than a reader escaping the bad and letting the writer re-define an 

ideal life. That is the beauty of fiction. 

[_ The projection pauses on Tsumugi’s smiling face _]

MONOKUMA Now wasn’t that a lovely moment? A fangirl obsessing over her favourite creator. 

What could possibly give greater joy?

[_ The audience boos. _]

MONOKUMA (Laughing) I know, I know. It was so disgusting, we had to borrow a clip instead 

of acting it out. You all really wanna get to the juicy stuff soon, right? Where’s the death?

The violence? The heart-pounding excitement that comes from the conflict?

[_ The audience cheers. Several people whistle and pump their fists into the air.] _

MONOKUMA Well, even if that moment dragged a little bit, let’s not forget some of 

the tension between our other characters.

[MONOKUMA steps back, away from the microphone. _ Two more MONOKUMAs appear _

_ from stage left and stage right. Stage left is MONOMAMI who is dressed in a green wig _

_ and fancy clothes. Stage right is MONOMATSU who is chubby and very warm. They meet _

_ in the centre stage.] _

MONOMATSU (Sweating profusely) Uhh... inspiring speech, inspiring speech. Let’s work 

together and... do things!

MONOMAMI (Folding arms over chest) Constantly trying to believe in yourself is futile and 

living a life of doubt obviously makes much more sense you pathetic pleb.

MONOMATSU Yeah but... your face is dumb!

MONOMAMI Your clothes are so raggy, did you buy them at the flea market or something?

MONOMATSU No, I got them free with the fleas.

[_ The audience erupts into a fit of laughter] _

MONOMAMI At any rate, it’s incredibly obvious that being as mysterious as I am, I will surely 

die first.

MONOMATSU And knowing the way this duality is going, it will most likely be me to kill you.

MONOMAMI That’s been subverting expectations for over two years now, I hardly think some 

kind of new formula could arrive for no apparent reason.

MONOMATSU So who do you think will be the next protagonist afterwards? I mean, if I die 

then someone will surely have to take over, right?

MONOMAMI (Deep in thought) Can’t say for certain. I doubt it will be that weenie model. That 

arc has been done too many times.

MONOMATSU But he’s got the singular ahoge! He must be the next in line!

MONOMAMI Hmm, that is true. The protagonist is always the one with the least amount 

of personality with only positive qualities and the nasal voice of a horny 

teenager played by twenty-something-year-olds.

MONOMATSU (She flings herself at MONOMAMI) But where, oh where will we find such a 

wooden block of a character?

MONOKUMA Hey! What do you think you two are doing?! This is only the beginning of chapter 

one and we’re already foreshadowing an epic twist?

MONOMAMI I mean, if this is a separate set of pages from the one before, can it really be 

called chapter one? 

MONOMATSU Yeah, does it make sense to have a chapter one: part two in written novels? Are 

there separate acts in one chapter? Wouldn’t this be the beginning of chapter 

two?

[_ MONOKUMA shoves them off of the stage. When they hit the ground, they explode. _]

MONOKUMA (Dusting his paws) Well now, I’m sure there will be time for speculating and 

arguing about what will happen next. (He raises his paws into the air) Now 

that the stage has been set, it’s time for the real fun to begin!

[_ The projector changes to an image of all sixteen white silhouettes of the students lined _

_ up in a row. The text underneath is in pink. It reads “Dawn Of The First Killing”. _]

MONOKUMA (Grinning) So without further ado, welcome to the thrills, the chills, the kills! 

Welcome to the heart-pounding excitement, give your applause to the despair 

that feeds off from hope. Welcome... to the killing game!

[_ The audience roars in cheers. It’s a standing ovation as the curtains close over the stage. The lights fade to black.] _

_ To Be Continued _

* * *

Ding dong, bing bong.

“Rise and shine ursine!”

You slowly open your eyes.

“Nyum-nyum... This is an official announcement from the Ultimate Academy.” Monotaro’s voice is grating to hear.

“It’s 8.AM, bitches! Time to wake up and face the blood-drenched day!” Monokid’s is even worse.

Monophanie squeaks, “B-blood drenched? Has someone died already?” 

“Who knows? Anything could happen in this place,” Monosuke shrugs.

Monotaro grins from the monitor screen, “Enjoy your killing school semester!” 

The monitor shuts off. 

It hurts to be awake. It hurts knowing nothing has changed. Though the bed is comfortable enough, you loathe being in it. 

You sit up from the bed, the covers fall from your shoulders and fall to the mattress. You’ve been wearing the same pair of leggings from yesterday and that disgusts you. You stand up. You let out a yawn as you bend over to pick up your clothes from yesterday. You... don’t want to put them back on.

For curiosity’s sake, you walk over to the closet near the T.V. You lump your clothes into one arm and use the other to open the door.

There’s a small shoe shelf to the side and a cabinet with silver circle handles for the drawers. Above that, a coat hanger rack holding— 

“What the...?”

Your exact sweater and vest. Vests on one side and your turtleneck sweaters on the other. You drop your dirty clothes to the floor. The cabinet has a tray of hair clips and hair ties, organised into a gradient that covers the whole rainbow. There’s also a selection of cute scrunchies and a comb that probably came from your bathroom.

You go through the drawers. The top level has pyjamas you would wear at home. The middle level has bras, underwear and shorts in case you wear a skirt. The bottom level has socks. The shoes in the shoe rack are also the exact same as the ones you usually wear. 

You grab one and slip it onto your foot. 

_ Yup, same size and everything_. 

You slip on the other half of the pair. While stepping into them, you look up at the clothes rack again. Shoved to the side with the vests sits the same Twirl-a-Tie rack you have at home. Even if you generally throw on the tie during school times, you still like to pretend you have some level of organisation in your mornings. On all twenty sides, different coloured ties. All of them are one shade with no patterns but that’s usually how you like them anyway. 

_ Did... did they prepare all of this? _

You take a sweater and a vest from the clothes rack. You inspect the sweater. Same colour, same size, same fabric. 

_ Why would they prepare all of this? _

You reluctantly slip it on. Same with your vest. You feel gross with the previously wet pants still on your legs. You quickly slip on some new underwear and leggings. You reach for the closest tie and throw it on your shoulders. After tying it together, you pull it up to your turtle neck. The extra effort makes you feel proud and less lazy. 

You slip in a hair tie and your clips.

You kick the dirty clothes into the corner of the room. You’ll deal with those later.

_ I should probably head to the dining hall. _

You turn to leave but with your hand on the door, a sudden fear overtakes you.

_ What if someone just comes in and hides and waits for me to come back? _

The key is still hanging on the stand on the table. You... you want to believe no-one will come in and try to kill you but given what happened yesterday, you don’t think you’re quite ready to commit to that thought. Someone who genuinely believes that you are not friends, someone who thinks you were trying to get everyone killed, someone who doubts the trust in the class.

Rantaro comes to mind, try as you might to shake him out.

To ease yourself, you take the key off of the hook. You sling the bag over your shoulder and head for the door again. You open it, step out and then close it again. You lock your door and slip the key into your writing bag’s front pocket. It keeps your pencils and erasers and other stuff but now it holds your key as well. Feeling secure, you make your way to the dining hall.

  
Outside the dorms, you hear a low grumbling. There’s an Exisal pacing around in the grass and stomping its mechanical feet hard enough to shake the ground. It’s excessive, even for these things.

You start walking toward the school. You briefly consider using the map to get there faster but you’re unsure if you’ll be sick again. The fainting seems to be consistent enough to be a worry. You wonder if you should see someone about that. 

You step through the big doors and let them fall back into place behind you. Shuichi stands near the monitor with his back turned to the door. When they close, he jumps and turns around. His hands are behind his back. He’s not wearing a tie.

“G-good m-m-morning, Kaede,” Shuichi greets, more nervously than usual.

You smile, “Morning, Shuichi!” 

You walk up to him. He nervously steps back but runs into the monitor.

“Haaha, w-we should be in the d-dining hall, r-right?” his eyes shift in every direction that isn’t at you. He slaps on a weak smile.

“Is something wrong?”

“No!” he shouts. _ He really sucks at lying. _

“Right, you just have your hands behind your back for no reason.”

“Um, y-yes! N-no reason to be c-concerned with at all.”

You slump over, “Shuichi, there’s no reason for you to hide anything. You said we were friends. I’m sure whatever it is isn’t as embarrassing as you think it is.”

He presses his lips together and stares into the ground. His boots shift so his knees are closer together. He glances up for a second. Not to your eyes, just in your general area. 

He slowly lets one hand fall to his side. The other goes to his front. Grasped loosely in his fingers hangs a tie. It’s not the same one from yesterday, it’s dark blue with lighter blue stars.

“I-I um... I don’t know how to tie my own tie.”

You step closer. You gently take the tie from his hand.

“Could you bow? This needs to go on your shoulders,” you say.

He nods and lowers himself. You wrap the tie around him, the thicker part of it stretches to his thigh while the thinner just passes his chest.

“Okay, so you’re going to cross the longer part over the shorter part and then wrap it under and pull it over.” You look into his uncovered eye to make sure he’s paying attention. He nods but looks away.

“Then you tie the long bit around and over the knot. Pinch it if you want to make it tighter. Then hold your finger on the knot, wrap the bottom bit over it, pull it under the knot and slip it into the gap you made with your finger and pull it up.”

You slip the knot up so it’s resting closer to his collarbones. You fix up his collar while you’re at it. He mumbles something. He’s also sweating a lot more than before. He’s eager to stand up as soon as you take your hands off of his clothes.

“T-thank you,” he scratches at his face.

“No problem,” you can feel yourself beaming with pride. “We should probably go though, Tsumugi and Kaito might be waiting for us.”

He nods and lets you lead the way.

The walk is slower than the map button but at least it doesn’t make the room spin when you open the door.

“Surprise!” Tsumugi shouts from the table.

Everyone is in the dining hall. Everyone including Miu and Rantaro. You aren’t saddened so much as afraid. You were hoping just to talk to the people who don’t hate you yet.

“Me and Tsumugi told everyone to get out of their rooms and meet us at the dining hall,” Kaito smiles.

“Tsumugi and _ I _,” you correct.

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

“Anyway,” Kiyo folds their arms, “now that everyone has arrived, I can let out a breath of relief knowing no victims were claimed last night.”

“But of course!” Kibou affirms.

“Still don’t appreciate the roll call though, dropped out for a lot of reasons but that one was a biggie,” Kirumi grumbles.

Kokichi stares at you from under the monitor. He looks like he’s thinking hard with his eyes narrowing when you look back at him. 

“Kokichi, is something the matter?” you ask.

He folds his arms behind his head, “Nothing, nothing. Just wondering if you cried super hard last night.”

You... 

_ I... _

“What?”

“I mean... you looked super bummed after everyone started picking on you yesterday.”

_ Well, _ ** _that’s_ ** _ a sad way to start the morning _.

“I... I don’t...”

“Seriously, she was practically sobbing on the floor and then you all start yelling at her? Poor girl. She was just trying to motivate everyone to escape and then you turn on her because you’re tired? You guys are so mean.”

Rantaro stares at him, “What is the point of bringing this up?”

He stares up at him with a grin, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I hate to say this but Kokichi’s right,” Kaito ruffles at his own hair, “everyone just blamed Kaede without holding themselves responsible. I think that deserves to be said.”

“So you weren’t even listening to me the second time,” Maki bares her teeth.

“What, saying we weren’t friends? That it was all Kaede’s fault even though she was not only pulling the whole team together but actually the only one who was still strong enough to hope to escape? For giving us a reason to survive together? Is that what you said?”

She stomps up to him and pulls him down to her level by the shirt. “Well, forgive me for being sick of going through the same failures with the same results and wondering if we were all going insane. If you have a problem with that then you can go down and have your ass handed to you until you keel over and die.” 

“Maki, please stop!” you shout.

She looks over at you.

You sigh, “It’s my fault. I should’ve been more considerate of everyone else’s feelings before thrusting us into danger over and over again. I was too focused on the tunnel so... I’m sorry.” 

Maki looks down at the polished floor. Still bitter, she lets go of Kaito’s shirt and pushes him away. 

“Fine,” she grumbles and skulks to the table. She pulls out a chair and sits down with a pout. 

“There we go! Isn’t that better now that everything’s resolved?” Kokichi smiles. How genuine that is, you can’t tell.

“But you brought it up,” Kibou says.

“Well, no-one else was going to say anything so I figured a little joke would get things moving along.”

“It wasn’t funny.”

“Wasn’t meant to be!”

Kibou curls his eyebrows in confusion, “If it wasn’t supposed to be funny, can it even be called a joke? Wouldn’t it be more akin to a lie?”

He shrugs, “Maybe. Who knows?”

“Kibou, ignore him,” Tenko interrupts before an argument can break out, “I want to know how Himiko was doing. Is she okay now?”

Himiko blinks rapidly. “Huh? Sorry, I was mostly asleep.”

“They were fine when I left them to rest,” Kiyo repeats.

“Yeah, I got up and sketched something again though. Couldn’t get the weird thing I saw out of my head and I needed to express it.” Himiko yawns into their hand and stretches their back.

“W-what was the weird thing?” Shuichi asks.

They crack their neck really loudly. “I dunno. It was like... what Kokichi said yesterday, I got this feeling of deja vu and saw us in this blue room and Kaito was there and things were spinning and... it really looks better on paper.”

Shuichi starts playing with his tie. His eyes drift so he’s staring off into the distance. He’s elsewhere now. You wonder if he’s having another panic attack.

“Are you alright?” you ask him. 

“Y-yeah... I’m fine.”

He looks over to Maki. She’s staring into the table with the same distant look to her.

_ What’s wrong with these three? _

“Oh! Could I please see your art later?” Tsumugi’s eyes seem to sparkle.

“Me too!” Tenko shouts.

Himiko shrugs, “Yeah, I guess.”

“Hold on, I need to make an announcement.”

“Motherfucker!” Miu screams.

Monokuma pops out of nowhere with their grin looking particularly evil today. “Oops, sorry. Didn’t mean to not scare you.”

“That’s a double negative so you _ did _ mean to scare us!” Tsumugi frowns.

Rantaro says, “So what is your announcement?”

“Aw, it’s nothing huge. I’ve just noticed that being all goody-goody has killed the killing game vibe. All this getting along crap makes it hard to wanna kill, right?” Monokuma brings their paws to their mouth, “so I thought I could help give you guys a push by giving you a little motivation.”

“Motivation?” Maki repeats.

“Well, motive for short. Everyone’s heard of the killer trying to justify themselves with a sob story and getting everyone else to feel bad so they won’t wanna punish them, right? After a while, that starts to get dull and it becomes a big crybaby section where everyone’s too _ weak _ to just get on with it. I’m all for despair but I need something... fresh, y’know?” 

“Everyone’s heard of _ what_?” says Miu.

“Fresh?” Kokichi tilts his head.

“_Despair_?” Tsumugi gasps.

“I’m announcing the first motive so clean your ears and get ready to hear it, loud and clear!” 

Monokuma jumps onto the table. Maki gets up from her chair and moves away. She stands beside Kibou but glares at him when he tries to smile.

“The first motive is called the _ First Blood Perk _! For the first murder that occurs, no class trial will be held! That means that the first one to kill someone will get to graduate, no strings attached! Puhuhu!”

Korekiyo folds their arms, “No class trial will be held?”

“Yup! It’s actually a lot less important than you’d think, sorry if I hyped it up too much. So this time, I figured it’d be easier to just not have one at all!”

Kiyo nods, “Ah, I see. So all it takes is just one murder to escape.”

“Dude, you’re making this sound like this isn’t a huge deal!” Kirumi shouts.

“Yeah, weren’t you on board with escaping and being friends?!” Kaito adds.

Kiyo shrugs, “Of course I am still, as you say, on board with Kaede’s dream. I think it’s a very wonderful and admirable goal,” they narrow their eyes, “but this sounds like an awfully good strategy to completely sway us away from that dream.”

“Huh?” you ask.

“After we decided to work together to escape, Monokuma decided that the new motive would be to offer some kind of reward for the first betrayal, therefore making it equally or more desirable to betray one another rather than cooperate.” They shake their head, “It’s disgusting but ingenious.”

“It’s a prisoner’s dilemma,” Rantaro mumbles.

“Wait, hold on! This can’t possibly work because we all do want to escape, right?” you say.

Kokichi tilts his head and looks away with that _ are you really sure? _ look to him.

“You really refuse to believe in the benefits of doubt?” Kiyo asks.

“B-but if one of us k-kills another one of our classmates and escapes, w-wouldn’t that weigh on them?” Shuichi’s voice trembles.

“Try to remember that some of us partake in illegal acts that don’t align with your sense of morality as part of our daily lives,” Kiyo looks at him with calm but serious eyes.

“Oh yeah! Kibou kills people all the time!” Angie says, way too happily.

Kibou looks away in shame. 

“Yeah, he could totally just kill one of us and leave without a problem at all! Isn’t that kinda scary?” Kokichi grins.

“Should we lock him up? I don’t wanna have to worry about an actual soldier coming to murder me,” Kirumi suggests.

“Fuckin’ knock him out! Can’t hurt us if he’s unconscious.” 

“Gonta can help carry Kibou away.”

You try to gain control, “No, hold on—”

“We don’t gotta do that! I’m not going to let Monokuma have his way!” Kaito roars.

“Kaito, don’t be stupid. Anger won’t get us anywhere,” Tenko says, more calm than before.

“You’re one to talk,” Kokichi sighs.

She takes a deep breath, “Controlling emotions is a skill worth learning. I did all of my meditating and now I’m more beautiful. Only men use ugly emotions like anger and sadness to get anywhere.”

“Hey, anger can be used by women and it’s cool too!” Kirumi puts her fists to her waist, “Rage fuels my music and style and I’d be pretty pissed if you told me this is ugly.”

Tenko looks her up and down. “I just don’t think it’s any better to show off your emotions the way you do.”

Kirumi rolls up her sleeve, “Oh, you wanna go? I got a tally for everything I’ve broken, bones count too.”

“So you’re going to let yourself be ugly in front of everyone? Is that really what you want?”

“I don’t give a shit about being ugly or whatever! I dropped out so I didn’t have to worry about that. I’m through with sucking up.”

Tenko folds her hands in front of her lap. “So you admit to liking bad emotions. I’ll have to introduce you to my morning exercises to make you change that.”

“Okay, _ that’s it_.” 

Kirumi raises her hand. The ring flies up with it. Tenko remains still. She barely spares a glance.

You reach out, “Kirumi, wait—!”

WHAM 

“Waaa!”

Monokuma flies across the cafeteria. 

Kaito unclenches his fist.

Monokuma hits the wall and falls down to the floor.

“W-why w-would you do th-that?” Shuichi asks, breathless.

It doesn’t take long for the Monokubs to arrive. They look at their father lying face-down on the floor. They look up at Kaito.

“F-father!” Monotaro cries.

“Did one of you punk-ass bitches do this?!” Monokid yells.

“Finally, it’s time to pull out the Exisals,” Monosuke glares right at Kaito, “youse bastards better listen up ‘cause this is what happens when you mess with us.”

The cafeteria rumbles under your feet. Metal crashes to the floor. The ear-piercing whirs echo the room as the Exisal turns to look around. It stops at its victim.

Frozen, he stares up at it. 

“Kaito, run!” you shout.

The Exisal raises its arm, the barrels start to spin.

Kaito does not run. He slowly steps back but doesn’t run. 

“Run, you idiot!” Kokichi sprints toward him and grabs onto his arm. 

Gonta kicks over the table. Kokichi drags them both behind it. 

The Exisal turns around and starts firing. Tsumugi, Ryoma, Kiyo and Himiko dive to the floor. Kirumi grabs you and Shuichi and hurries you toward the table. Rantaro crouches beside you.

The guns keep firing. You can hear screaming. Shuichi clings onto Kirumi. Kokichi still has his grip on Kaito’s arm. Maki drags Miu in. Kirumi’s screams are drowned out. The room spins. 

It stops firing.

The barrel clicks at it comes to a stop.

You can finally hear how loudly everyone is panting. Shuichi is trying to stifle tears. Kirumi exclaims in fear. You can hear some shoes and skin scuffing at the floor on the other side. 

“Is everyone okay?” Kibou shuffles on his knees and attends to everyone. “Is anyone hurt?”

When he comes, you shake your head at him. He hurries along to tend to Rantaro. He also shakes his head. 

With caution, Kibou rises to his feet. He looks over the room.

“Is it...over? C-can we move now?” you ask him.

Kibou jumps onto the edge of the table and leaps to find everyone else. You peek your head over.

Tenko, Kiyo, Ryoma, Himiko, Tsumugi and Angie lay on the floor. Kibou helps them sit up. He asks if they’re okay and looks over them.

He looks up, relieved. “Nobody has been seriously injured.”

“You bastard!” Monokid roars.

“D-daddy’s been shot to pieces!” Monophanie begins to cry.

Kiyo picks up a piece of scrap metal. They flip it over in their hands, tracing their bandaged fingers over it. It’s a piece of Monokuma’s face.

“So he has,” they conclude.

“Why would the Exisal shoot Monokuma?” Tsumugi asks, twirling her hair around her finger.

Kiyo drops the piece and walks closer to the other scattered remains. “I haven’t a clue, especially when the original target was barely moving.”

Kaito stands up, “Sh-shut up! I knew it wasn’t going to fire at me!”

“Sure you did,” Maki rolls her eyes.

Ryoma stands, brushing off the dust. “But if Monokuma’s scrap, what happens now?”

Kokichi jumps up from behind the table. “It means we win!” He throws his arms into the air.

“Hooray!” Angie cheers with him.

“No, Monokuma was a robot. I’m sure there are plenty of them around somewhere,” Maki folds her arms.

“H-how dare you!” Monophanie yells.

Monotaro brings its paws close to its chest, “Father told us that we were all unique and special. There’s only one of all of us.”

Ryoma looks down in thought, “So then, if there’s only one Monokuma and he’s gone...”

“Then there’s no more killing game,” Kirumi finishes, standing up.  
“So we’ve won!” Kokichi adds with glee.

“Hooray!” Angie cheers again.

“It’s over,” Tenko lets out a deep sigh in relief.

“Really? So soon?” Tsumugi then shrugs, “Well, guess all that’s left to do is wait for the shuttle bus to pick us up.”

_ Can we really get out so easily? _

_ Do we really expect to get out so easily? _

_ Isn’t it completely ridiculous to think we could leave this easily? _

No matter how hard you try to shut it out, it’s impossible. Too easy. All of this is too easy.

“W-wait a minute, we don’t know if we’re really—”

“Shut it, bitch! Don’t you dare pull this shit again, we still remember what you did yesterday,” Miu scowls.

“Or... perhaps there is something you still wish for us to do, Kaede?” Kiyo says.

“N-no, I wasn’t—”

“Hey, quit ganging up on her again!” Kokichi shouts. “Don’t you guys remember what happened a couple of minutes ago? Or did my joke really fly that far over your stupid heads?”

“Not my fault Kaeidiot keeps ruining our happy moments,” Miu shoots you a glare.

Kokichi strides toward you and grabs your hand. He raises it high above his head. “This chick has done nothing but try to keep us moving along. Even through the shit-infested waters of the tunnel, she still wanted all of us to escape. She believed, we listened and then we got mad. We said doubt, she doubts and now we’re mad. Pick a side, seriously.”

Maki raises her voice, “You just cheered that there was nothing to worry about and now you’re criticizing for wanting to believe that? If anything, we should be asking _ you _ to pick a side.”

“I never said I picked a side. If Kaede wants to doubt, she can doubt. If Miu and Rantaro are allowed to be awful with no consequence, so can Kaede. You guys are just mean.”

Rantaro scratches the back of his neck. “Look, I’m sorry for my behaviour yesterday but please understand the circumstances we were in.”

“I’m not apologising for speaking the fucking truth. If she’s gonna force us through that stupid tunnel again, count me out!”

Kokichi shrugs and drops your hand, “Fine, justify being terrible people. I don’t care.” He strolls up to Rantaro and stands on his toes. “None of us need _ your _ help, rich boy.” 

He narrows his eyes. “You’re immature.”

“You’re worthless,” Kokichi tilts his head and sticks out his tongue between his teeth.  
  
With that, Kokichi skips out of the dining hall. Miu huffs and storms out afterwards. 

Still curled up on the floor, Shuichi whimpers behind the table. Kirumi crouches down and tugs on his sleeve. Through a quiet conversation you can’t hear, she convinces him to stand up. Together, they wobble out of the room.

Everyone else goes their separate ways. You hate that this seems to be a running trend. Someone loses it and leaves and you’re left with the feeling that you caused everyone to fight. Tsumugi offers to walk you back to your room but you shake your head. You’re left on your own. 

The hardest part is moving. You want to go back to your room but your ankles have been shackled to the floor. Chained to the polished tiles, your reflection sadly stares back up at you. Perhaps the lack of locked walls and doors is what’s bringing this sense of numbness. Despite the rampant thoughts tearing at your brain, nothing makes you frown at yourself. It’s just a blank face.

_ When did I get so depressed? _ You subtly crinkle your brows at the thought.

...

_ Well, if I can’t move then maybe I’ll get some help. _

You take out the Monopad from your bag and find the map. As nauseating as it was last time, your bad mood has suddenly made you more willing to be out of touch with your own body. You tap the dorms and then “GO!”.

Just like before, the Monopad seems to have made itself into a parasite and you its mindless zombie. Like a cordycep to an ant. A blank mind and an empty heart. Your current mental breakdown has been put on hold to carry you to the dormitory. 

When you look up, the dome has tilted. The dorms have never loomed so high above your head. The feeling of vomit-inducing sadness has hit you all at once. You run inside and fumble with your keys to unlock the door and crash on the floor. Close the door. Locked tight. Toss your bag onto the bed. You sink to your knees. Cradling your head in your arms. Sobbing uncontrollably. You run your fingers through your roots and pull at you ponytail. The world feels to the left, a place not quite like Earth and more akin to a psychological thriller. No monsters, no killers or bleeding walls. More like the ceiling is your ground and when you close your eyes, you see a dark room with a swinging light and a single chair. A turn to desperate insanity, all work and no play makes you a dull girl. A monotone tune clouds your ears and buzzes and rings over the cracks in your voice like an old telephone waiting for a call. It gets louder. It gets closer. It’s a dull shriek that gets closer and closer and closer and closer—

Ding dong.

The intercom goes off.

The tune has vanished. You sniff and drag your thumb over your eyelids. You fan your face. As hot as it’s become, you still think you can flush it out if you hurt your wrists enough. Another thick tear rolls down. You brush it off. You shake until you’re at your feet.

With a deep breath, you open the door.

“Kibou?” 

He gives a small smile. “Hello, Kaede.” It quickly fades. “Are... are you okay?”

“Oh, um... what do you mean? I’m not sad or anything. Just a little queasy, again.” 

Your attempts to lie and overcompensate don’t seem to be working on him.

“I’m sorry if I’m interrupting something but I thought it was important to check up on you. Given the state we’re all in, I find it hard to relax.”

“That’s really sweet of you but I’m sure that I’m fine,” you really desperately hope he doesn’t say anything that’ll make you start crying again.

He tilts his head, “Really? I wouldn’t expect you to be taking it so well. With the way the argument turned out and—”

“Yes yes, still fresh in my mind,” you start fanning your face again, “I really am okay. Thank you for checking but I’m sure I—”

“It’s not your fault.”

“...What?”

He shakes his head, “To be honest, I also want to doubt what’s happening. None of this makes any sense. Why bring sixteen talented students to a school, start a killing game and then just have it all be over the next day? This can’t be right. We should have a reason to be suspicious.”

You don’t have the urge to speak anymore. Nothing comes to mind. It’s not the fact that you’re shocked someone would agree with you, it’s more rather you’d like to hear him keep going. At least have another sane person with you. Your silence makes you drift your eyes to the floor. You nervously play with your sweater.

“But... as long as Monokuma is gone, I feel like there’s something telling me not to worry at all. I can’t seem to find that point where I actually agree with myself. It’s kind of like wish fulfilling but as soon as it happens, I can’t help but stress about what would happen if it never happened at all. I’m not sure if that made sense but it’s how I feel and, I suspect at least, how you do too.” 

You nod. You don’t think he’s helping with your tear problem but something feels lifted from your chest. 

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you—”

“No no, it’s fine,” you wipe away the tears and try your best to keep your voice levelled, “I was really scared no-one liked me. So... thank you.”

He confidently places his fists to his hips, “Of course! I want to believe in your dream so I also believe in you.”

Your brows furl. “What do you mean by that?”

“Mean by believe?”

“I mean, what do you mean when you say you believe in _ me? _Why me specifically?”

He drops his arms to his sides, “Well, you believe in escaping and becoming friends and it seems you’re the only one who is completely dedicated to it, no matter what.”

“What about Kaito?”

He shakes his head. “To be honest, Kaito intimidates me. His reaction to people disagreeing with him makes me worry he’ll do something drastic.”

“Or Kiyo?”

“Kiyo seems to observe your belief more than engage with it. I find that a little odd.”

“But what about this morning with Monokuma?”

“Belief without doubt is not a belief worth having. You doubt we’ll all escape and become friends overnight and that’s okay. From what I’ve seen, we’re the same,” he brings his hand to his chest, “that’s why I’m choosing to believe in you.” 

You let out a long sigh. The breath you’ve been holding finally passes your lips, figuratively and literally. Something feels like it can find the strength to stand back up in your ribs. That pumping heart can finally stretch between your lungs.

You breathe a smile, “Thanks, I think I’m starting to feel better now.”

“I’m glad to hear.” Kibou’s face turns soft. Something suddenly sparks a new energy in him. “Hey, while we have the time, maybe we could look around the library! I haven’t read a good book in a long time and I thought someone like you could help me get started.”

You scratch your cheek, “I’m not sure I’ll be able to pick a perfect book for you. I’m more of an author than a librarian.”

“But surely you have a good eye for books regardless,” he starts fiddling with his gloves, “and I would also prefer it if someone came with me. The basement kind of scares me and I don’t think I’d cope with reading alone.”

You blink, “You’re a soldier, aren’t you?”

“I-I’m not incapable of fear because of my profession. That’s very presumptuous of you,” he says, annoyed

“Ah, sorry.”

“A-anyway, if you don’t feel up to it, I won’t force you to come. I just thought it would help take our minds off of things.”

“No, I do. I do want to come with you.”

Joy springs back into him, “Really?”

“Yeah, let’s go!”

Kibou steps aside to let you out. You start walking but then you remember there’s nothing on your shoulder. You slap your side. Your bag isn’t there.

You turn to Kibou to say “Gimme a second,” and run back to grab your bag. You take out the keys and lock the door behind you. You two start to walk to the library. 

When you leave the dorms, you see Gonta walking toward you. He stops. He blinks for a moment and stares down at you. 

“Are you alright?” you ask.

“Oh, Kaede,” he sighs, “sorry, Gonta confused by people shapes. Thought you were object in front of door.”

Kibou tilts his head, “Can you not see properly?”

“Good enough but not that good.”

“Right, I said before you should talk to Maki about those liquid contacts.” You jut your thumb to the dorms.

“She should be in her room. I think it would be worth a shot even if she might be busy,” Kibou adds. 

“Okay, Gonta go find Maki!”

You walk past Gonta and continue on your journey. 

Kibou strikes up a conversation about how he’s always wanted to really dive into the world of fiction and the things he misses about living a normal life. He wishes he could create a story to tell his comrades to boost moral or read a book about something heart-warming to cheer himself up. It’s the little things, he says, the little things you wouldn’t notice until it was gone.

_ Wait, how will Gonta know which room to knock on if he can’t see?_

_..._

You... try not to think about it.

You pass by some people who chose to stay out of their rooms. 

There’s Kaito who’s probably trying to keep his form by jogging around the dome. That or trying to find a way to escape. Either are equally likely.

There’s Kiyo who’s sitting by the flowers and tightening their bandages.

Angie who’s swaying along, muttering something under their breath.

Part of you tenses when you see Kokichi. You want to thank him for trying to stick up for you but on the other hand, you think he caused Rantaro and Miu to hate you more than before. You’re unsure what to think of it all. The way he just goes along with things sometimes but then he argues with you about whether or not to go to the gym. You can’t seem to get a hold on his beliefs. And there he goes on his little ramble, looking down at his flip flops as he kicks them into the air. 

Kibou opens the door for you. He smiles when you thank him and walk inside. You lead the way again. Passing under the east gate, the familiarity of the building only makes you fractionally less worried. The soft crunch of grass under your shoes while encased in walls never ceases to make you uncomfortable. 

Kibou keeps talking about something. You’re trying to listen but the horrid stairs are in your vision and it makes it hard to focus. The longer you stare at the patterns, the more it feels like the circles are rotating. Even when you blink it away, they keep spinning as you draw closer. You can anticipate the headache by the time you reach the classroom.

You overtake Kibou to hold onto the stair rails. He trails off. You look over your shoulder to show you’re still listening. He doesn’t question it much further.

Whatever it is Kibou says on the way down, you don’t hear it. Going down the stairs has never felt more strange. He keeps going as if he’d said something completely different.

_ How did he get from his conversation with Tsumugi to gun preparation training in less than a minute? _

You really wish you could’ve heard him on the way down. 

Kibou’s voice sort of trails when you reach the basement floor. It’s clear he’s nervous about this. You don’t blame him, you can’t see a thing down here. You take out the Monopad from your bag and make a quick trip to the library door. It’s only for a moment but it feels like you’re walking up an escalator as soon as you press “GO!” on the screen. 

The short distance makes you feel less sick than before. You turn to see Kibou waiting for you to open the door. You slip the Monopad back and pull the sliding door open.

The musty scent fills your nose again. It takes you a second to adjust and another to hold back your coughs. You step inside and stop to see if Kibou is still following. He is, he just makes sure to close the door behind him. You’re not sure why.

He sees confusion on your face and apologetically flails his hands.

“Sorry, I don’t get a lot of privacy on the field so I like to spend my time here closing doors and stuff. I can leave it open if you’d prefer.” 

“No no, privacy is fine.” You clap your hands and start rubbing them together, “Now, what kind of books do you want to read?”

“Do you mean genres?”

“Yeah! I mean, I can’t see any sorting methods or even a dewey decimal system chart around but that’s what the covers are for.”

He shifts his eyes away in thought. He comes back a sceptic. “Isn’t the phrase ‘Don't judge a book by it’s cover?’”

“Well, yes but that’s kind of wrong. You judge a book by the cover so you can decide whether or not you actually want to read it. Like, that’s the entire point of the blurb on the back of the cover. I think the phrase shouldn’t be taken literally even if it’s a good code to live by.”

He nods. “I see.”

You start next to the ladder propped up in the corner of the room. You run your finger over the shelf for less than a second and something fuzzy clings onto it. A thick puff of dust. You flick it off in disgust. The titles are hard to read and sometimes incomprehensible. It makes you wonder if these are even written in your language.

You see a name you can actually decipher and pull it out from the shelf. The cover is plain and green with the text in gold. This must be a pretty old book. You flip it over and read the blurb aloud.

“‘_A cult, a castle and a curious case.’” _ You squint. Some of the text has been scribbled out. “‘_(something something), child detective and princess of the Novoselic kingdom, discovers an underground crime group deadset on chaos and anarchy. When the bodies start to pile up, it gets harder and harder to keep control over the mass panic. Will (something) discover the truth before all is lost? And is she ready to face that harsh truth?’_”

You look up at Kibou. He tilts his head and looks away in thought. 

“Do you think this would be something you’d read?” you ask.

“Hmm... I’m not sure. It sounds rather stressful to be honest.”

You shrug and slide the book back into its spot.

You continue to walk along the shelf, brushing off some dust as you go. You get to the end of the shelf without seeing a title you can actually read. You move on to the shelf below. Still nothing. You keep going until you reach the floor.

You make your way to the next bookcase. Kibou seems to be picking up ones from the messy stacks and from the floor. You gasp when you find another one you can read.

“‘_An Ultimate Journey._’” You flip over the book. You frown, more words are scribbled out. “‘_(something something) is on a quest for one reason; to find her missing father. Lost in a place no-one knows, (something) must use her wits and survival skills to make it through alive. But accepting the truth may be the toughest part of all.’_” 

You open it up and flip to a random page.

..._ She slowly pulls out her knife from her pocket and rises from the ground. She dares not call or even breathe when the rustling gets louder. She turns around. There’s greenery and trees. Something moves. _

_ “Who’s there?” she says, collected. _

_ “No, it cannot be.” _

_ (something) drops her bag and_—

You slam the book shut. “Seriously? Why are all names gone?” you shove the book back into the slot.

Kibou looks up from his pile. “I mean, apart from that, it actually sounded pretty interesting.”

“No, you can’t read this. I know it’s probably just words to you but the protagonist's name is what ties it all together! You can’t just read a book that has the names scribbled out, it’s just not the same!”

“Is the name really that important? Couldn’t I replace it with another one and achieve the same result?”

“But the name also adds another layer to the character! Like it could mean something really important or have a biblical reference that also ties in with the plot or it could juxtapose the character traits they show or subtly foreshadow the twist or... you know, it could change everything!”

He looks down. You’re not sure if you even made a good point during all of that, as unreasonably angry as you are about it. 

You sigh. “Sorry. If you really want to read it, you can have it.”

“No, I think it’d be better not to,” he puts his book back on the top of the stack, “I don’t think I should start with a book without the protagonist’s name. Seeing how upset it makes you probably means it’s not worth reading.”

“Is this because of my talent?”

“More because I’m choosing to believe in your strong sense of conviction. If you think it’s bad to have the character’s name scribbled out then I believe you. And besides, there’s an entire library full of books. I’m sure one of them will have something I like... and hopefully not have it be vandalised.”

You slump your shoulders. You’re a little guilty about ranting and pushing him away from reading something even if he did find it interesting. You watch him move on from the stack on the floor and to a bookcase adjacent to the wall you’re going through. He skips the massive pile in the corner, tall enough to reach the ceiling and probably has the mass to kill someone if you toppled it over. Kibou stands a little away from it. You could push it over onto him if you tried hard enough.

_ That’s a really dark thought _, you shake your head to banish it. 

Kibou pumps his fists, “Alright, let’s see what we can find.”

He places his gloved hand on the shelf and trails over the books. He stares at something. He gets closer, looks harder. He squints. Something doesn’t seem right.

“Did you find anything?” you ask.

“Hold on...”

He tries to wedge his fingers through the gaps in the books. He wriggles them around but they don’t sink much farther than the spines. This bothers him. He tries to tilt a book by pushing on the top of the spine but it doesn’t budge.

“Kaede, can you come here for a second?” he says, suspiciously.

You walk so you’re standing beside him. 

He steps back from the shelf. “Can you try taking out a book?”

“Which one?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

You pause. Your hesitation makes him look at you. He can probably tell you’re confused.

“I’m just testing something,” he adds.

“Okay,” you say, eyebrows thrown.

You step forward and place your fingers to a book’s spine. You pull. It doesn’t tip. You pull harder but it doesn’t budge. You step closer and use your other hand to push the other books. Still, it doesn’t move. When you roll your fingertips over the top of the books, they don’t feel like paper. You can’t card through them. It’s as if they were stuck together. Or that they were all one solid object.

“What the heck?” you mumble. 

Just to be sure, you try to pull out another book. You tug and pull and even get your leg up on another row trying to get this stupid thing out of the shelf. It doesn’t move. You let go in a confused defeat.

“So neither of us can get them out,” Kibou tilts his head.

“What kind of place has a bookshelf you can’t get the books out of? The other one was fine.”

Kibou walks over to another shelf. He pulls out a book with ease. He slots it back in and tries another. He looks around the room in search of _ something _.

You look around the case in question. When you look up, you notice it’s the only case without any books on top of it. The ones beside it are littered with them but this one has a clean top. You poke around the side of the case and squeeze your hands through the gap between it and the one next to it. It shifts. It’s not light but it’s definitely easier to move than what you would expect.

“Kibou, get over here,” you call.

Kibou jogs to you.

You shift yourself to pull the bookcase. Like a door, it swings open with you. You can let go of it once you push it hard enough.

Kibou flinches and jumps back in a battle stance. You don’t know where he got the knife from. You both watch the bookcase open up to a secret room. Behind it stands a door split down the middle; one side white, one side black.

_ Just like Monokuma and the Monopads. _

You stare in bemused silence. From your peripheral vision, Kibou stands up and puts the knife away. 

_ ...He had a knife this entire time? _

You side-step away from him.

Unbothered, Kibou walks up to the door. He traces his hand down it. He turns his head to look to the wall beside it. There’s a panel with a black screen and two buttons below it. He looks back at you for a moment then presses one of the buttons. It makes a sound and the screen lights up.

_ Insert keycard. _

“It’s locked. We can’t get in without the keycard,” Kibou says. He steps back from the door. “Why would there be a _ secret _ door? The secret passage wasn’t really a secret at all and was made to crush our hopes so why would there need to be a door that’s actually well hidden and needs a key to get in?”

You bring a hand to your chin, “Maybe it’s for Monokuma? That would explain the black and white pattern.”

He shakes his head, “If it were purely for Monokuma’s use then the Exisals would be here to guard it. Plus, given what we know about Monokuma, wouldn’t it be more likely he’d leave it more out in the open?”

“But... then who is this for?”

Kibou turns to face you. Something dawns on him, something unpleasant. He looks at you, a look of sorrow in his eyes.

_ Someone who wants to sneak in and out without everyone else noticing who is not Monokuma. _

You think you know too.

“Oh God, no,” you shake your head in disbelief, “no, that can’t be...”

“It could,” he answers, dejectedly.

“But who?”

“I don’t have a clue. I don’t want to believe one of us could really be working with Monokuma.”

Without wanting to, you subconsciously start picking out names. You start to sweat when they’re brought to the front of your mind.

_ Kokichi has a black and white scarf, could he be...? Shuichi has black and white clothing but surely...! Maki could have created all of this with her talent _—

“We can’t tell anyone,” Kibou snaps you back into reality with a hard stare, “if we tell the group, whoever the door belongs to will know that we know their secret and we may become targets. We could also cause the group to panic and a killing may happen. Do you understand?”

You choke out sounds but no words.

He grabs your shoulders and shakes you. “Do you understand? We have to keep this a secret. Kaede, do you understand that?”

You nod.

“Can I trust you?”

“H-huh?”

“Can I trust you to keep this a secret? No-one can know. Not Shuichi, not Tsumugi, nobody.”

“Y-yes, I can keep a secret!” you shout.

Upon hearing your confirmation, he lets go and steps back. “Good. I just want to make sure I can trust you.”

All of this is... so intimidating. Even if Monokuma is dead, someone could still be sneaking around. Which means...

“The killing game isn’t over,” you finish your thought out loud.

Kibou brings his hand to his face, tapping his fingers along his chin. “So we were right to doubt.”

“But I don’t want to believe one of us is working with Monokuma. I don’t want to doubt in my classmates.”

There’s a moment of quiet. Kibou seems to be thinking about something while you stare off into the floor. Your mind becomes clouded with fear and anxiety. 

After far too long, Kibou speaks. “Let’s move the bookcase back and head back. We probably shouldn’t be in here for too long. We can come back later if we need to.”

“Yeah, okay,” you nod.

Kibou pushes the bookcase back into the wall. He escorts the two of you out of the library and to the basement stairs. Neither of you speak. The whole trip back to the dorms is quiet and uneasy. You can’t help it, you start to worry. This whole thing was supposed to cheer you up but somehow you feel even worse than before. It feels like despite how calm and sincere Kibou is, he has a knife to your back. He’ll push it in if you even get close to spilling the secret. The suspicion is overwhelming.

You jam the keys into the door and fall onto the bed. You swing your bag onto the floor. 

Part of you thinks about writing this all down somewhere. Keeping this all locked up might make you go mad, you fear you’ll tear off the wallpaper and start crawling on the floor. But there’s nothing to write with or on. No paper or pens or whiteboards to scribble ideas or dot-points. All you’ve really known what to write is a romance with a happy ending and you’re proud of that perfection but now... now there’s no point to it all. There are no happy endings, not here.

Ding dong, bing bong.

The monitor lights up. Monodam stands alone in front of the couch. No other bear is in sight. They stand there. No voice or other real announcement. The monitor cuts to black again.

You guess that means it’s nighttime now.

And here you thought you would never let this become a schedule. You would escape to the outside with everyone and just... be teenagers. None of this killing game nonsense. 

Maybe you’d all be lying on your back in some grassy field, taking in the afternoon sunlight. The dew from the night’s rain would linger in the air and fill your noses with a beautiful scent. Kokichi and Angie would be chasing each other around Gonta, you would snicker to Shuichi about how much Kaito was shouting when Kokichi would eventually get stuck in a tree. Kiyo would be talking with Tsumugi about fiction while Himiko would lay on their lap, gently snoring and accidentally kicking Maki as she tinkered with whatever was in her pockets. Kibou would ask about her inventions, Kirumi would start going on about how cool it would be to have a flamethrower on her guitar and Tenko would try not to get irritated by the noise as she meditated nearby. Miu would say something dirty and Ryoma would roll his eyes. Rantaro would lay against the tree and smile softly, gently. And you’d catch his eye and share a laugh at the bliss.

...

There’s someone working with Monokuma.

That thought never leaves you no matter how many times you try to smother it. Someone within the school has trapped you inside and wants you to kill each other. It could be someone above your head or next to you. You can’t smell the dewdrops anymore. Now it’s just nervous sweat and weirdly fresh bed sheets. You slip the tie off of your neck and drop it to the floor. You take off the vest but not the sweater. You take out your hair tie and clips. You try to imagine a paradise outside of the dome but all that comes is a wicked smile from the dark.

You close your eyes. Sleep doesn’t come like it used to. You can’t help but toss and turn your way through the night.

...

_ Finally. _


	5. This Class Trial, My Class Trial - Daily Life III

[ _ The curtains open. MONOGANE is sat at one end of a table. Her hair is scraggly and she looks  _ _ feral. MONOMOTA sits  _

_ at the other end. His goatee is incredibly manly and his chest threatens to  _ _ swallow the stage whole in its size.  _

_ MONOKUMA sits in the middle with the charm of an adorable  _ _ raccoon. Cunning but so cute, it’s almost unbearable. _ ]

MONOKUMA Now I understand that you two think you’re more important than you really are, 

right? We’ve got Little-Miss nerd on one end who couldn’t  _ not _ quote an anime to 

save her life and Mister I’m-Gonna-Swim-The-Atlantic-Ocean on the other who 

really thinks he can do something that stupid.

MONOMOTA Hey, I’m not stupid! I’m you but in a wig!

MONOGANE [whispering over the table] No, you’re supposed to be in character. You’re not 

Monokuma, you’re Monomota. Remember?

MONOMOTA Oh... nevermind.

MONOKUMA Anyway, as I was saying, you think you’re super important. Is there any way 

counsellor Monokuma could help you with your crippling addiction to 

attention? Maybe some reminder of your real worth to the overarching story?

MONOMOTA Yeah! I really think I’m some kind of main protagonist and I need fixing!

MONOGANE And I have this weird hope obsession that makes other people not want to talk to 

me! Oh please, Mr Monokuma. Please fix me. I need you.

MONOKUMA Worry not, weird children! With Monokuma’s training and support, you too 

could realise the insignificance of your own existence and just get over 

yourselves! (he stands up on the table) Seriously, kids these days think they’re so 

important and everything’s about them all the time. Ungrateful cretins, who do 

they think they are anyway? Grow some shame like the rest of us! Give into the 

despair that they don’t matter in the grand scheme of things and they’re gonna 

die unhappy and alone.

MONOMOTA Are you going to die unhappy and alone?

MONOKUMA Oh, of course not! I have hundreds of fans ready to die along with me. You guys 

though, nobody misses a bunch of ungrateful teenagers.

MONOGANE But what about stories like Romeo and Juliet? People missed them.

MONOKUMA Quit quoting Shakespeare at me! I said get over yourselves! (He facepalms) Jeez, 

this is gonna be harder than I thought.

[ _ The curtains draw. A polite applause rings throughout the theatre _ .]

_ To be continued... _

* * *

Ding dong, bing bong.

The monitor crackles. 

You groan and tiredly force your eyes open. You feel like shit, to put it eloquently, absolute shit. You feel like your body is a sack of potatoes sunk into the mattress. You don’t want to get up.

...

_ Isn’t everyone else waiting in the dining hall? _

You wonder if it’s even worth it at this point. Would the same argument break out again? Maybe.

You sit up and change your clothes. You slip on a plain pink tie today, not feeling super flashy. Lazy ponytail and hair clips. You sling your bag over your shoulder. You lock the door behind you.

Across the room, not far from your door, you catch Ryoma leaving his room. He yawns and sadly looks down at his keys as he sticks them into the door.

Forcing a smile, you approach him. “Morning, Ryoma!”

He blinks rapidly and turns to you, hand still on the keys. “Oh. Morning, Kaede.”

“How are you?”

“Could be better,” he wipes his eyes, “could be much, much better.”

“Yeah, I didn’t sleep well last night. I take it you didn’t either?”

He nods, “Not a wink. Been thinking and stuff, seems to be all I do.”

“Would you like to talk about it?” you’re feeling oddly sympathetic this morning.

He looks away for a moment. “I still haven’t figured out my talent yet. That much is already making me stressed. I mean, who am I? Far as I know, I’m just some random guy who wandered in and tried to convince himself he was as great as an Ultimate.”

“Aw, I’m sure that’s not true.” 

“I don’t think it’s too far-fetched to think I’m not special,” he takes the keys out of the door, “thought that for a while. I couldn’t begin to guess what my real talent would be if I had one.”

You give him a much warmer smile, “I hope you remember it soon.”

He sighs. “Yeah, me too.”

With a slump, Ryoma walks out of the dorms. There’s an aura of deep sadness to him. The bags under his eyes tell it all. The way his voice seems to drop whenever he mentions how un-special he feels. You wish you could see inside his head. 

_ Poor guy _ .

You follow him outside. Ryoma must walk pretty quickly because you can’t see him anywhere. 

_ ...Do I even want to bother with walking today? _

You mentally debate using the map function to avoid talking with anyone. Not so say you hate anyone, just that you wouldn’t want to repeat yesterday morning’s incident. You wonder if Kokichi would even stand up for you again given how inconsistent he seems to be.

Your thoughts are interrupted by someone else leaving the dorms.

“You can’t be serious, right?”

“Of course I am! I can swim around the Earth and back if I want to, no challenge is too big for me!”

Two someones.

Kirumi scoffs and flicks her hair, “Right, sure. I meant as in something more reasonable like what you would do if you went to college and stuff. I’ve been tryin’ to figure out what the hell it is we’re supposed to do when we’re back in the real world.”

Kaito strokes his chin, “Well, my grandparents always told me that college and uni would be a no-brainer since I’ll need a job to sustain myself. Might work part-time for a bit and then go from there. But I swear, I will be an Olympic champion  _ and _ swim through every ocean and back!”

You join in, “Sounds like you’ve got your life sorted out.”

“Yeah, I do! Can’t be a slacker if I wanna make my dreams come true,” Kaito grins with pride.

The three of you walk together.

“Well, I still think school’s a huge waste of time and I’d rather rot than go to some fancy college and fall into uni debt,” Kirumi folds her arms.

“So what do you plan on doing when you get out?” Kaito asks.

She shrugs, “I dunno. Might fuck around and get mega famous or something. Well, I already am but like I’m talking super mega famous.” She smirks, “Y’know, drugs in the music industry isn’t an entirely new concept. Could be useful when writing songs. Sure helped the Beatles.”

You step in, “J-just because some other famous people used it doesn’t mean you should give up your brain cells to be like them. People like Jimi Hendrix died from substance abuse and you’re... too young.”

“What are you, a cop?” she cocks her head to the side.

“No, Kaede’s right. You shouldn’t throw your life away for that stuff,” Kaito adds.

“Psh, I was only kidding. Jeez, you didn’t have to get all preachy on me,” Kirumi twirls her hair around her fingers.

Kaito puts his hands to his hips, “When we get out, you gotta promise me you don’t make any stupid desicions. Be a good musician, not a follower. You make music from the soul, right? That’s already unique enough, you don’t need drugs for that!”

“Can’t promise you I won’t do anything,” she sighs, “but fine. I won’t do anything stupid if you actually follow up on that.”

Kaito opens the door for both of you.

“Follow up on what?” you ask.

“He said he’d set a record for fastest time to swim around the entire planet. He predicts two days, I say two years or it never happens.”

You find it hard to believe in Kaito’s wild dreams, “That’s... quite a difference in time, huh?”

He catches up with you two. “She just needs more faith in the Ultimate Swimming Pro. Seriously, I’m an Ultimate. You really think I’d give up my title and  _ not _ achieve the impossible?”

She rolls her eyes. “Okay, whatever. I just don’t see the point in going to college and uni if you just wanna swim.”

“Well, it could be a neat back-up plan in case it doesn’t turn out the way he wants. It’s not a bad idea,” you say.

“But if you believe in your dream so much, why even bother with a back-up plan? If you really think you’re gonna swim the whole Earth, that’s something only an idiot with a lotta ambition can do. Why not commit all the way and throw out the back-up plan?”

_ Belief without doubt is not a belief worth having. _

“Because if Kaito truly believed in his goal, he’d have to think of all the ways it could go wrong. If he couldn’t see the flaws and the ways it could fail then he never really believed in it one-hundred percent. You need that possibility of doubt to have a reason to keep believing. Like a hurdle to overcome. If he just ran away from the hurdles then that would be a cowardly belief but by jumping over them, his belief can overcome the doubt and grow stronger because of it. Does that make sense?”

She blinks, “Are you always like this?”

“Like what?”   
“Like... good at words. I mean, you’re a writer so of course you are but you just come up with random shit on the fly and it makes sense,” she gives you a smirk, “I can respect that.”

“Thank you,” you say. You think that was a compliment.

“Wait, did you call me an idiot?” Kaito catches up.

You giggle at his confusion.

You open the door to the dining hall and step inside. You feel a lot better than you did yesterday. Judging by the looks on everyone else’s faces you think they do too. The look of contentment is hard to describe but the room feels lighter than before. You confidently stride towards Shuichi and sit beside him at the table. Kirumi sits on his other side.

“Morning, Shuichi!” you greet.

“Good m-morning, Kaede,” he smiles back.

Tsumugi leaps to you. “Ah, Kaede! You’re here,” she bounces from heel to heel behind your chair, “and so peppy too! You really have so much optimism, how wonderfully lucky.”

You scratch the back of your neck, “I don’t really see how that’s lucky.”

“Your good mood must’ve been caused by  _ something _ , right? Was it a good night’s sleep? Was it some good news? Was it an epiphany?”

“Uh...”

She gasps, “Maybe you’ve come up with a really good idea for your next novel! Oh, wouldn’t that be splendid. I would love to read it.”

You can’t tell if she’s mocking you or is genuinely  _ that _ excited by your mood. You’re not sure how to answer that. To be honest, you don’t quite know what’s made you more peppy than usual. It’s got nothing to do with sleep or novel ideas. Especially not with the discovery last night. You catch a glimpse from Kibou. He gives you a serious look.

“Um... I guess I slept really well,” you say.

Tsumugi’s face twitches away from excitement for only a moment. She’s probably really disappointed by your answer again. “Ah, I see,” she nods, shifting her eyes away.

You look around the room. Ryoma’s staring at you. He probably heard you lie through your teeth. You smile anxiously.

_ Keep it together, no-one can know about the library _ .

Ah yes, the library. The secret that proves that the killing game is not over. The reason to stress about everything. The reason to doubt everyone in this room. Who’s the one cooperating with Monokuma? You don’t know. It could be anyone. It could be Shuichi or Kibou or Angie or Miu or Maki or Kiyo or Tsumugi or—

“Breakfast is ready,” Kiyo calls from afar.

“Fuckin’ finally,” Miu complains.

“Don’t be so rude, a proper woman should always thank someone and not complain,” Tenko gracefully stands up from her seat and calmly walks toward Kiyo. She takes a bowl of rice and sits back down at the table.

“You think I give a shit about woman stuff?” Miu grins, “A proper lady knows how to get some, if you know what I mean.”

Tenko straightens her back. She looks like she’s holding back. “Lewd comments are a form of degenerate humour, they have no place for a proper woman and especially at a breakfast table.”

“Your small rack is a form of degenerate humour!”

“Shut up,” Maki says. Her tone is cold.

“Ooh, the girls are fighting!” Kokichi unhelpfully cheers.

“Miu, please calm down,” you feel like you should beg.

“What, are you gonna make me hold her hand and sing or something? In case you haven’t noticed, we’re not exactly best friends here.”

Ryoma sighs. “This isn’t about that. Tenko is just—”

“Shut the fuck up, you pleb,” she suddenly goes into a state of quiet rage.

You reach a hand to her. “Miu, that’s not—”

“I hate a lot of things but by far the thing I hate the most is a shit-talking normie. Always getting in the way of what really matters and fucking everything up,” she leans down to Ryoma’s level and pushes him with a finger to his chest. “You ever talk to me again and I’ll fucking crush you and grind you into dust.”

Ryoma goes quiet. He looks into the floor. You hear Shuichi gulp next to you.

Miu scowls and stands back up. “Good, you’re learning already.”

She stalks toward Korekiyo and snatches a bowl from their hand. She then sits on the far end of the table, away from everyone else.

In the silence, some go to Kiyo and take the food they made. Pretty soon, everyone has a bowl or plate and is sitting somewhere on the table. Seeing the rice in your bowl makes you feel strange.

_ I... have not eaten in two days.  _

You curl your brows.

_ And I didn’t notice... _

...

Himiko yawns, “Anyway, I slept really hard last night. Think it’s ‘cause I know we’re gonna leave today.”

Angie claps excitedly next to her. “Yup yup! I slept well too!” 

“I feel so good, I even managed to brush my teeth and use the bathroom without being scared. All by myself,” Himiko looks weirdly proud.

You can’t help but wonder. “Where did you get toothpaste?”

...

She pauses. It’s a long pause. You’re not sure if she even heard you. She tilts her head, “School store.”

“Can you just get anything there?” you ask.

...

She pauses again. She blinks really slowly. “Maybe.”

_ Huh, might have to pick up some deodorant on the way back. _

“Praise to God for smiting the evil Monokuma and letting us rest easy,” Angie cheers.

“Hey, I caused Monokuma’s death,” Kaito says.

“Really? I didn’t see you shoot Monokuma to pieces,” Angie shakes their head. “No no no, you were grabbed by Kokichi before you could get shot by that Exisal which God was controlling, I am sure of it.”

“Yeah but if I didn’t punch Monokuma, the Exisal wouldn’t have shown up and shot him!”

“I-I think the p-point was that we’re happy it’s all over, r-right?” Shuichi intervenes.

You want to agree. You really want to think it’s all over and everything is fine and nothing else will happen.

You keep your mouth shut.

From another part of the table, Rantaro sighs.

“I-is something wrong, Rantaro?” Shuichi asks.

He shakes his head, “Nothing. Just... whiplash, I guess. The way these conversations keep progressing is quite hard to keep up with.”

“I agree, we seem to have a problem with keeping on track,” Kiyo adds.

“But regardless, I’m pleased with this turn of events. This... happy ending we’ve made for ourselves.”

“Is it really the end though?”

You blurting out your anxieties has made everyone turn their heads to look at you. Even Shuichi stares with concern on his face.

“How do you mean?” asks Kiyo.

“Well, don’t we think this is a little too easy? I don’t really think it’s going to end like this.”

Miu pounds a fist on the table. “We can’t go one fuckin’ morning without Kaeidiot ruining it, huh?!”

“N-no, wait—”

She stands up and points a finger at you, “You wanna know what I think? I think she wants to keep feedin’ us doubt and suspicion so we’ll wanna kill each other.”

Kokichi kicks his feet up onto the table. “Cool theory, you brainless moron but in case you haven’t noticed, there’s no killing game and no headmaster. If there’s no rule enforcer then there are no rules. We’ve got no reason to kill and Kaede’s got every reason to be weirded out by it all.”

Miu begins to stutter, “B-brainless m-m-moron?”

“Not the point to focus on,” Kiyo says.

She snaps out of it and pounds a fist again, “She’s gotta be working behind all of this! Why else would she keep trying to make us think it’s not over?”

“She’s doing no such thing,” Kibou argues.

“What, are you part of her little harem now too?”

“I’m not sure what that is but I think I’m not part of that. Kaede can’t be working with Monokuma because if she truly wanted to keep this going, she would have just summoned another one by now.”

“I think that’s my cue to appear!”

Everyone turns their head toward the voice. Kirumi exclaims, “Holy shit, he’s back?!”

Rantaro stands from his seat, murmuring, “Dammit.”

“H-he’s still alive!?” Shuichi stutters. 

Monokuma smiles and pats his stomach. “Still kicking. Just needed a little holiday, y’know? Nothing like a good vacation to lift the spirits.”

The Monokubs appear behind him.

“F-father? You’re here?” Monotaro asks.

“But no... it couldn’t be. There’s no way he could resort to the “Death is Cheap” trope!” Monophanie objects.

Monodam stares at Monokuma with blank fury.

“Ah, my beautiful kids! Do not be afraid, there are copies of me somewhere so I can never die.”

“Halle-fucking-lujah!” Monokid roars.

“Wait,” Tsumugi goes pale, “does this mean... the killing game is going to continue?”

The room spins. “C-continue?”

“Well, that sucks,” Himiko sighs.

“That’s all you have to say?  _ That sucks? _ ” Kirumi shouts.

“To be fair, expressing fear wouldn’t make anything better,” Tenko says.

Kirumi stands from her seat, “Don’t even start that again because I will really slap you this time.”

“Of course there was a spare, I knew there would be,” Maki folds her arms, unsurprised by all of this.

Monokuma tilts his head and brings a paw to his mouth. “Is that so? Then did you also know about the next exciting addition?”

Monokuma jumps onto the table again. You along with everyone else stands up and backs off.

“Ahem! I’m pleased to announce the addition of an additional motive!” He paces up and down the table with glee. “As of right now, the time limit will be in effect. If a murder does not occut by nighttime, two days from now, every single person forced to participate in the killing game will be executed!”

“E-executed?” you sputter.

“Mauled to bits by hundreds of Monokumas from the infamous Monokuma making machine! Arms and legs ripped off and torn to shreds by our little bear claws. Wouldn’t that just be awful?” He cackles.

“No, that’s enough!” you assert.

“Why are you doing this? Why are you making us go through with this... this... suffering!” Kibou joins.

“Aww, you guys are suffering? Well, if that’s the case, why don’t you just kill each other and just let it end? The First Blood Perk is still in use, after all,” Monokuma grins, smug.

“You bastard!” Kaito shouts. He steps forward but Kokichi tugs him back.

Monokuma stops pacing and stares you down.“Look at you idiots. Really. All of you know that working together is pointless and you still act like it’s the only option left. It isn’t! I’ve given you two reasons now so whatever you decide, you better make it quick.”

Monokuma disappears with uproarious laughter echoing the dining hall.

“Die working together or live with betrayal,” Monosuke adds, “well, that sounds like a pretty easy question if ya ask me.”

“No-one asked you,” Kaito growls.

“Yeah, yeah. Kids these days ain’t got respect for their elders,” Monosuke waves off.

“But... aren’t we kids?” Monotaro asks.

“Who cares? I say we celebrate Papa Kuma’s return with some bitchin’ honey!” Monokid shouts, smashing a guitar to the floor and screaming afterwards.

“Eek! I was about to say that was a wonderful idea but now I’m just scared,” Monophanie squeals.

“Last one to the couch gets no honey!” Monotaro calls as he dashes out of the dining hall.

In a panic, the remaining four chase each other out behind him.

...

You think you’re going to faint again. You hold onto a nearby chair and try to force the floor to stop slipping from under your feet. Shuichi cautiously holds onto your shoulder and looks into your eyes.

“A-are you okay? Are you going to faint a-again?” he asks.

You shake your head. That didn’t answer his question. You have to swallow hard to get any words out.

“I’m okay, I’m fine,” you lie.

Kirumi kicks a chair, “Fuck this noise! The time limit’s gonna be here soon and I don’t wanna die before I finish my new album!”

“So many shows I need to catch up on,” Tsumugi glumly says.

“I haven’t finished signing my will,” Rantaro sits down in his seat.

_ We’re all going to die? Is that it? _

Lots of regrets pass through your mind. The swelling despair gets harder to power through every day. Still, you try to stand up straight.

“Wait, we can’t give up yet. We need to come up with a plan.”

Kaito pounds his fists together, “Right! I’ll find some way to deal with this, just like last time.”

“I should remind you that your last efforts almost killed us all,” says Kiyo, “whatever idea you have frankly scares me.”

“D-don’t worry about that. I’ll come up with something.”

“Gonta come up with plan!”

You’re nervous but optimistic, “What’s your plan, Gonta?”

“Gonta fight Monokuma.”

_ ...Nevermind. _

Kokichi taps a finger to his chin. “I mean, that could work.”

“While his incredible size and I assume muscle power may be unmatched by human standards, I find myself less optimistic about his chances against an Exisal,” Kiyo folds their arms over their chest.

“Quit being fancy and talk like a real person,” Kokichi grumbles.

Kiyo frowns, “My use of vocabulary is not a reason to call me lesser. Use my talent if you really wish to make a point.”

“Wow, you’re really letting me insult you properly?”

“I am merely suggesting you use other tactics to offend others. Weak arguments such as ‘talking fancy’ are childish and immature.”

Kaito slams a fist on the table, “Can we focus on the fact that we don’t have a plan?”

Angie opens their body and closes their eyes. “There is no need to worry or cry, God will welcome us all into His mighty arms.”

“...After we’re dead,” Himiko says.

“Though I don’t believe in some higher being, I do agree that a spiritual cleansing would greatly calm us down,” Tenko folds her hands over her lap and stares blankly into the room.

Kirumi rolls her eyes, “Sounds like the beginning of a cult or something.”

Tenko quickly stands up. “I don’t understand what your problem is! I am trying my best to guide every woman to perfection and you keep acting like I’m evil.”

“Guys—”

“What’s my problem? What’s  _ my _ fucking problem!?” Kirumi stands on her chair and stares down at Tenko. “None of us need your weird guidance or your shitty exercises or your old fashioned beliefs or your inability to accept that some people don’t wanna sit still and bottle themselves up. I’m not wasting my last days alive listening to some ninety year-old reincarnated as a teenage priss lecture me about the thing I hate the most and I’ll be fucked if anyone else could give a shit about your teachings either.”

“Kirumi, please—”

“My one goal is to help girls like you correct themselves,” Tenko deadpans.

“Ohh, you’re so blessed, aren’t you?” Kirumi’s voice drips with sarcasm.

You shout, “Please, stop!”

“If you’re so sure I’m a disgusting human being then why don’t you come and kill me yourself?!”

“Stooping to that level wouldn’t prove anything, you’re making a fool of yourself.”

“Oh, so  _ I’m _ the fool, am I? Don’t think for a second that anyone will feel sad if we find your body somewhere just so we wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. I’m not gonna live a killer but I’d rather die than work with you!”

Kirumi jumps off the chair and storms out of the dining hall.

“Kirumi, wait!” you call out to her but she’s not listening.

“Leave her,” Tenko glares at the door, “some people refuse to change.”

Tenko walks out too.

“Wait, don’t go,” your calls are useless. Both of them are gone.

Gonta shuffles near the back, “So... not fight Monokuma?”

Ryoma shakes his head, “It’s too reckless, not to mention a waste of time.”

“W-what makes you say th-that?” asks Shuichi.

“We die fighting now, die waiting later or die murdered soon. If it were my choice, I’d want to die later or murdered. I can’t speak for everyone but I think it would be better to have some time before we die.” 

Ryoma walks out of the dining hall too.

“B-but we haven’t come up with a plan yet!” you shout, uselessly.

“Come up with your own plan, shit-head,” Miu shoves the bowl away from her and stands from her seat, “I’m going to my room. Talking with nobodies is fuckin’ exhausting.”

Miu walks out.

Maki gets up, “Don’t think your half-assed speeches are going to keep us around. Come up with your own plan but leave us out of it.” She walks out too.

“Wait—”

“Aww, so negative. If only all of us just believed in God’s mercy,” Angie shakes their head, “Welp, guess it can’t be helped. I’m going to pray now. Bye!” They skip out.

Himiko tugs her beanie over her head. “I think I’m going to go back to my room to sketch.”

“B-but... we can’t just...”

Kaito stomps his foot and shouts, “Fine! Do whatever you want, go mope and be miserable while we figure something out!”

“You say that like you actually have a clue,” Kokichi says.

“Kokichi, please do not make this harder than it needs to be,” Kiyo sighs.

“Hey, I’m just as ansty to get out as everyone else and I’m not taking the  _ I’ll do anything _ approach like some others will. If we wanna get out of here, I think we should at least have a plan that isn’t as stupid as fighting Monokuma.”

“Gonta’s plan isn’t stupid,” Kaito grits his teeth.

“Then tell me what you plan to do after you’re completely annihilated.”

“We won’t be, we’ll have everyone on our side!”

“Then what do you plan to do when  _ everyone _ is completely annihilated?” Kokichi’s tone grows dark. “The boy who asks “what-if” isn’t as stupid as the man who says “it won’t.” I hope you remember that.”

Kaito doesn’t seem to have a good response. 

Satisfied, Kokichi turns and walks away.

Looking apologetic, Rantaro steps toward you. He looks to the floor. “If you do need me, I will be in my room. I do want to believe we can escape together but... in the case we don’t, I would like to finish a few things on my own. I’m sorry.” He walks out too.

In the end, you can’t stop anyone from leaving. It’s just you, Shuichi, Kibou, Gonta, Kiyo, Kaito and Tsumugi. 

“To have our group scatter just like that. How hopeless...” Tsumugi says.

“I-is everything really going to b-be okay?” Shuichi asks.

Kaito sighs through clenched teeth, “Of course it will be. They’re just being selfish.”

Kibou remains oddly quiet. He stares off into the floor with his hands tapping at his vest. His eyes narrow, shifting from side-to-side. You can’t really tell what he’s thinking.

You slowly walk up to him. You lean in and whisper, “Hey, what should we do?”

He shuffles closer, “We should move.”

“What?”

“If we want this killing game to end, we’ll need to figure out who is co-operating with Monokuma. From there, we should act quickly. We only have two days.”

“So we’re going to the library?” you shuffle closer, more wary of your surroundings, “what do we plan to do when we get there?”

“We’ll come up with a plan. Perhaps some sort of sneak attack.” 

“Do we have to use violence?”

“Violence may be necessary to end this.”

“I wouldn’t say necessary.”

He looks directly into your eyes. “Kaede, our lives are at stake. One victim is better than fifteen or sixteen if the mastermind is dedicated to this game. Don’t you agree?”

You hesitate. You never really thought about your views on pacifism until now. Is it not better to kill one person than to let everyone else die? Families are waiting for everyone. An entire world could be waiting for you. It’s just one person but... they’re still a person, aren’t they?

Kibou looks down. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to force that responsibility onto you. I just want to do something about this.”

“No, I’ll do it.”

“Do what?”

You nod, suddenly determined. “I want to help. We’re going to take down the—”

“What’s up with you two? What are you whispering about?”

Kaito’s interruption flusters you for a second. You stutter but can’t think of a response.

Kibou leans away from you. “We’re about to check on something. We’re just discussing a plan.”

“And the thing you’re discussing is a secret?” Kaito cocks a brow.

“Correct,” Kibou says.

Kaito doesn’t look too easy about this.

_ Where’s the optimism? Isn’t he usually on my side? _

This gives you an idea.

“Wh-what we’re trying to say is that we haven’t given up yet. We’re going to escape this place no matter what, I promise. Joining together will always lead to victory, you’ll see!”

Kibou looks at you funny.

Kaito, however, grins, “Well, if that’s how it is, I believe in you!”

“Thank you,” you say, sighing in relief.

_ Yeah, that’s right. We’re going to escape! _

You’re suddenly filled with hope, even if you did have to subtly manipulate Kaito to get him to stop asking questions. Your smile drifts at this realisation.

Kibou leans in close. “We should probably get going now. It’s not safe to talk about this in the open.”

You nod.

You wave to the rest of the people left in the dining hall and the two of you walk out together. You waste no time taking the Monopad out of your bag and pulling up the map.

“Don’t you already know where the library is at this point?” Kibou asks.

“The “Go!” button makes me go faster,” you explain.

He tilts his head, “I thought Shuichi said that it made you dizzy.”

“Yeah but I’ve gotten used to it.” You smile playfully, “You might have to deal with me being unresponsive for a bit though.”

He nods but not in understanding. It’s a slow nod, that kind of  _ ohh...? _ where he’s pretending to understand.

You tap the “Go!” button and after a few seconds, you wake up at the library door. Kibou flinches when you lift your head from the Monopad.

“Are you... alright?” he asks, cautiously.

“Yeah. I just turned into a zombie and now I’m here.” You hesitate. “I didn’t scare you, did I?”

He shakes his head. Then he sort of tilts it as if to say  _ well, actually... _

You let out a sigh and open the library door.

Just like before, Kibou closes the door behind him. He looks around until he stops at a corner. He walks to the middle of the room, staring up into the corner.

“I can’t see a camera,” he mutters.

“What about it?” you ask.

“I was going to wait in the library until I caught someone coming in and using the hidden door. From there, I could deal with them however I wanted. But...” he folds his arms, “that’s not going to work if they know I’m here.”

“Wait, that’s assuming that they would already be in the secret room when you start hiding. You could still hide and wait for them to come back. Maybe tomorrow morning when we know where everyone is?”

He taps his fingers against his chin. “Maybe but... I see no reason for the mastermind to go back to their hideout this early. I could understand if they went to create that new Monokuma but apart from that, nothing really comes to mind.”

_ New Monokumas... _

“What about when time’s up?” you say.

“...What?”

You put your hands to your hips, “Monokuma threatened to maul us to death with the Monokuma making machine. If the machine is through the hidden door then that means that the mastermind will have to go through it to create the new Monokumas.”

Kibou taps his face some more. “Isn’t that really risky? We don’t know if the machine is really through that door. If it isn’t then we’ve just waited until the time limit is up and we’d all go down just like that.”

You have to admit, you don’t really have any evidence to say you think the machine is through the hidden door. You don’t have any proof that there even is a mastermind, it’s all just assumptions based on this hidden door. 

But... you’ve somehow never felt more sure. A surge of confidence pumps through you.

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take,” you assert, “I promised we’d all escape, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep it.”

Kibou looks away. He taps his fingers along his bottom lip. Probably evaluating your little plan to see what could possibly go wrong. There’s worry in his eyes.

You step closer towards him. “We’re going to survive, I’m sure of it but I need you to trust me. Our beliefs are what helped us find the hidden room in the first place, right? So... I need you to trust in me as much as I trust in you.”

You gently pull his hand away from his face. He doesn’t fight it. You hold it with a squeeze. “Please?”

He looks down at your hands. You play with the fabric of his gloves, pinching it between your fingers and then smoothing it out again. He clears his throat. His face has gone red.   
“O-okay, I trust you,” he stutters out.

Your smile drops. “What’s wrong?”

He takes his other hand and covers his eyes. “I-it’s just that... I’m not used to physical contact that isn’t strictly battle based. Sorry, I’m making this weird.”

“Oh, sorry.” You let go of his hand. “Should have asked first.”

He waves his hands in a flurry, “N-no, that’s not to say I don’t want you to touch me at all. I-in fact, it was... kind of nice? I think? I’m not sure. Oh God.”

You’re about to take his hand again but you stop before you can. He buries his face in his gloves.

For a soldier, he can be kind of pathetic.

_ That’s... adorable. _

To ease him, you change the subject. “Right so... we’ve decided to wait until the time limit?”

He looks up from his hands. He nods and tries to contain himself. “In that case, I think I’ll take that book and read as much as I can,” he says.

You point him to the book, still miffed the names have been scribbled out, and leave him be. You “Go!” to the dorms and stay in your room.

...

_ Now what? _

Well, you have some time to kill before the time limit. You still have the rest of today. You could go to the school store to pick up some things. You could spend time with someone. Or you could sleep.

_ Why would I want to sleep? _

You decide to not sleep.

...

But you could, if you wanted.

** _Free Time Start!_ **

You think the best course of action would be to start in the school shop. You go to your map and find it near the dining hall. You hover over the “Go!” button but you stop for a moment. You wait until you’re outside your room. Then you press the button.

You black out and appear in front of the dining hall. You turn around to find the school store on the other side. When you turn the handle, it opens.

This... is a very strange room. The rug on the floor is slightly wonky and doesn’t at all match the rest of the room. Actually, this room doesn’t even match the building. There’s no greenery and the floor is made of wood. The ceiling has a strange square pattern with x’s through them and a single light bulb in the centre, surrounded by what looks like a wooden bucket. 

There’s a shop counter across the room. Behind it are rugs hanging from the wall, towels neatly folded on shelves and two ornamental giraffes. A collection of other knick-knacks are around in neat rows and stacks. You can spot a large box of coloured pencils.

_ Himiko might appreciate that,  _ you think.

In the corner of the counter sits some kind of machine. You feel drawn to it. It seems to be a toy vending machine. You don’t think you have any money on you but you also don’t see anyone actually running the store so...

You go behind the counter and start rummaging around the shelves. If Himiko managed to find toothpaste and a toothbrush then you can probably find some deodorant. That line of logic would make sense.

You eventually find some lined up near the bottom of a cabinet. Lots of exotic brands and pretty random smells. There’s one for burnt toast, the idea of a banana (it doesn’t even get close to the actual thing) and the ocean (it smells like an overwhelming amount of salt and fish. You gag). Then there’s stuff you’re convinced was created as a joke. Incense that smells like a hospital waiting room, toilet cleaner, your colleague's baby, a busy fast food restaurant, dead parrot, the inside of a dusty violin and the microwave after you explode a marshmallow inside of it.

You go through the weird ones until you finally see something that looks kind of normal. You pinch it from the shelf as well as a couple of others that you think you could stand for others to use. 

You think someone might like ‘Mum’s Making Butterscotch Pie’ or ‘It’s Not Actual Honey But It’s What You Think Of When Your Boyfriend Calls You Honey’ as well as some more normal things like coconut oil soap and vials of vanilla incense. You’re not sure who, part of you suspects Shuichi. He just seems like that kind of person. 

You find a mirror and catch a glimpse of yourself. You didn’t notice until now but your hair is unfathomably messy and full of knots. You cringe. You grab a couple of combs and brushes while you’re here. 

You shove all of your things into your bag and pray Monokuma won’t show up to call you out on stealing.

When you return to the dorms, you stop at your door. You don’t fish out your keys this time, you just stare into your open bag. You see Maki’s flashlight still inside. You walk up to Maki’s room and leave the flashlight by the door. As a makeup gift, you also leave one of the soaps beside it. Maple fudge. You think she’s the kind of girl who’s all tough and stoic on the outside but secretly likes sweet stuff. You smile. You feel something in your heart.

_ I might not get the chance to give presents to everyone tomorrow. _

You turn around and start rifling through your bag. You start pulling out your goods and try to put them together with everyone here.

_ Let’s see... Kirumi might like Teen Spirit. I don’t think anyone other than Kaito would appreciate the ocean one but it also kind of stinks. Would he like ‘Hero Walks On Beach During Credits’? There’s also ‘The Vague Smell Of Victory’ which Miu might enjoy. Or... maybe she’d prefer the one that smelled like money. _

You leave them by their corresponding doors. You have to make some assumptions about people but you don’t think they’re too far off.

_ Himiko seems like the kind of person to drink coffee. Kiyo might like flowers but if they don’t, there’s also one that smells like motorcycle oil. Maybe Angie would appreciate Matrix scented, whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean. _

You get a little stuck on Rantaro. You’ve already given Shuichi the coconut oil and you’re running low at this point. You circle through ‘Mom’s Making Butterscotch Pie’, ‘Little Sister’s First Cake’ and ‘Banquet Fit For A King.’ Something tells you the best choice is the cake one but you’re not entirely sure why. You add one of your combs just in case.

Once you’re done, you turn back to your room and unlock the door. As soon as you hear the door click, you let out a satisfying breath.

...

Kirumi sits on her stool and plucks away at her acoustic guitar. It’s more of a soulful tune than what she usually plays, voice barely above a murmur in the microphone. There are no words, just a melody that rings in the amp, a combination of hums and ahhs that convey more than she can say. 

Shuichi isn’t with her today. He’s resting in his room. Apparently, his head was too sore to jam out. Kirumi wonders if she should invite him in later in the evening. She hates jamming by herself. 

She keeps plucking at the strings even as she hears the door creak open. She looks up for a moment. 

Kokichi and Angie stroll through the lab and sit on the floor, just in front of Kirumi and her stage. They look up with wide eyes.

She stops playing, “What do you two want?”

“I wonder how good a guitar would make for fuel,” Kokichi says.

“Ooh! A bonfire with camp songs!” Angie smiles.

Kirumi sighs and pushes the microphone away from her face, “Touch anything in here and you’re dead.”

“You’re being really boring,” Kokichi whines.

“Hey,  _ you _ came in here. If you don’t want me for anything, then leave.”

“We wanted to hear you rock!” Angie says, sparkles in their eyes.

“Things have been really dull downstairs ‘cause everyone’s all gloomy and sad. We thought you would be the most exciting,” Kokichi adds.

“You... wanted to hear me?” Kirumi shifts on her stool, “I guess that’s fine. I can’t think of anything to play.”

Kokichi jumps up, “Something fun!”

“Something loud! Shake the Earth with your tune!” Angie cheers.

Kirumi sighs. She starts cracking her knuckles and flicking her wrists.   
“Wow, this is gonna be my first real concert!” Kokichi says.

Kirumi puts down the acoustic and takes out her electric. She grabs the microphone with one hand and strums the guitar with the other. “Who’s ready to rock?”

Angie and Kokichi cheer and begin to chant as Kirumi starts fiddling with the amp. She smirks when she gets the right sound. The crunchy one, as she calls it. It reminds her of the sound of chewing on dry cereal. She begins to stomp on the stage to set a beat. 

She doesn’t quite shake the Earth but she makes for a hell of a concert. So much so that Miu comes up the stairs to cheer slurs and curses at her. In true punk fashion, Kirumi sticks up a middle finger at her.

...

Ding dong, bing bong.

The monitor crackles to life. Monokid is sitting on the couch with a huge pot of honey while the others stand behind.

Filled with drunken slurring and hiccups, he says, “This is an official announcement... from the Ultimate Academy.”

“Yeah, Monokid’s had way too much honey,” Monotaro says.

“He was so excited about daddy’s return,” Monophanie giggles, “he also made it to the couch first and refused to share.”

Monosuke leans over and whispers, “Hey, what announcement are we making again?”

“The nighttime one,” Monotaro whispers back.

Monokid falls onto his back and drops the pot on the floor. He starts to snore.

“Bedtime, ursine!”

The monitor switches off.

You sigh. The time limit will expire soon and that scares you quite a bit.

...

You try to turn that fear into hope. You want to keep believing in your friends and see them smile. You’ll make their last- no, not even last. You’ll make every day full of smiles and joy. This is now your ultimate goal.

You will survive. You will live with everyone else.

You leave your bag of stolen goods on the chair and get ready for bed. 

You smile into your pillow knowing you really tried today.


	6. This Class Trial, My Class Trial - Daily Life IV

[_ The curtains open to reveal MONOHARA G who crosses his legs in every photo and _

_ MONOHARA S who is strong and capable of punching several buildings down to rubble. They are _

_ arguing with each other and MONOKUMA watches on a sofa nearby.] _

MONOKUMA (Sadly) I think it all started when I was a little cub. 

I always got whatever I wanted from my parents.

MONOHARA G Hey, Monohara supposed to be in scene! It says so in script!

MONOHARA S At no point in the script does it have you acting like your human counterpart, 

the role was clearly meant for me!

MONOHARA G It does!

MONOHARA S Does not!

MONOKUMA (With great emotion and grief) I was a spoiled cub. If I wanted a fish from the 

river, they swam in and got it themselves. If I wanted to push that kid off of the 

bridge, they’d offer to do it for me. It took the fun out of it but it also meant I was 

less likely to get shot by those damn humans without a sense of humour.

MONOHARA S Look, I’m the wimpy character with lots of anxiety and an inability to tell others 

about my problems. In this emotional scene, it would only make sense if I was in 

it!

MONOHARA G But Monohara punch problem.

MONOHARA S No! Monohara does not punch the problem!

MONOKUMA (Regret filling his throat) And yet, I never felt like I could have enough. I always 

wanted someone else’s anchovy Icy Pole even if I was already holding my own. I 

stole it anyway ‘cause their parents were no match for my parents but then I felt 

this... disgusting urge to give it back.

MONOHARA S You are ruining the whole scene!

MONOHARA G No, Monohara ruining the scene.

MONOHARA S Ha! You agreed with me!

MONOHARA G Wait, not what Monohara meant. Monohara meant that not Monohara Monohara 

was ruining the scene.

MONOHARA S That made no sense.

MONOKUMA (Tears in his eyes) Is this... remorse? A human feeling? Did they infect me with a 

virus? Or maybe... I was born like this? I never asked to be born so kind. Oh, what 

is wrong with me?! Why can’t I be evil like everyone else?!

MONOHARA G Now Monohara confused.

MONOHARA S I know I am.

MONOHARA G No, other Monohara. 

MONOHARA S Wait, there are more of us?!

MONOHARA G Me.

MONOHARA S Oh.

MONOHARA G What if... we just used first names instead?

MONOHARA S Yeah, I guess that would make it easier to differentiate between each other. 

MONOHARA G Then Monohara would become... Monogonta!

MONOHARA S Would that make me... Monoichi?

MONOKUMA That just sounds like you have a rash.

MONOHARA S O-oh! You’re...!

MONOKUMA I’ve been here the whole time, being ignored by my own actors.

MONOHARA S B-but... who was supposed to be in this scene?

MONOHARA G Yeah! Who?

[_ Monokuma takes out the script and scans through it with expert eyes. He finally stabs a claw _

_ into it while pointing at the name. _]

MONOKUMA Neither of you!

MONOHARA S What?!

MONOKUMA This says it’s a solo scene! It’s just me and only me! You two have no reason to be 

here! God, did you even read this?

MONOHARA G I... can’t read.

MONOHARA S Oh, so _ now _ you can use first person pronouns.

MONOKUMA Amatuers. I’m working with complete amateurs. Get outta here!

[_ A strand of rope falls from the ceiling and hangs beside MONOKUMA. He gleefully tugs on the _

_ rope and stares at MONOHARA G and S. All three bears look up. _]

MONOHARA S Oh God.

[_ A piano falls on the MONOHARAs. Wooden boards, keys and even the little hammers go flying _

_ into the crowd, smacking __several people in the front row. The audience erupts in laughter. _]

MONOKUMA Ahh, much better. It feels so good to get that off of my chest.

[ _The crowd collectively snickers and then they clap as MONOKUMA bows and the curtains draw to a close. _

_ Some members of the audience poke the people sitting next to them. They're unresponsive. No-one seems to _

_ care enough to stop clapping. _]

_ To be continued _

* * *

Ding dong, bing bong.

“Rise and shine, ursine!”

There’s a low, grumbling snore.

“This is an official announcement from the Ultimate Academy.”

It’s hard to hear anything over the snoring. Not that it matters. You leap from your bed and dismiss the rest of the announcement. You change into new tights and, for the first time in days, apply some deodorant. You’re not sure why you’re so excited about this but you feel nothing less than refreshed. You spray some around the room just to let it sink in a bit. Ahh... this feels—

You start coughing everywhere.

_ Not my greatest idea _.

You put on your sweater and vest. After looking through some drawers, you find a selection of miniskirts and pants. The skirts are actually kind of cute, mostly pink with some words decorating them. You decide to wear one today. Why not, right? You’re feeling particularly peppy today but it feels earned this time.

You quickly brush your hair and tie it up like normal. You look in the mirror and put your hands on your hips. 

_ Yeah, I look super cute today! _

You swing your bag over your shoulder and pose in the mirror for a little longer. You’re gonna ride this high, dammit!

Ding dong.

At least until the intercom goes off.

You open the door to see Kibou behind it.

“Oh, good morning, Kibou!” you greet.

“Good morning, Kaede,” he greets back with a smile.

You’re not sure whether or not to remain anonymous about the gifts. On one hand, you’re excited to know about what others think but on the other, isn’t it more fun to just watch them try to figure out who did it?

“I wanted to talk to you about something,” he starts.

“Sure, anything.”

He looks at you expectedly. You’re not sure what he wants. He looks away, slightly tense. “Um, would it be okay if I came in? I feel like this should be a more private conversation.”

You blink dumbly. You were so caught up in the secret santa thing going on you forgot there were more important matters at hand.

“Oh, sure.” You step aside and let him in. You close the door behind him.

He stands near the chair but doesn’t sit on it. He just runs his hand over the back of it. He turns to look at you. “We should talk more about our plan. As it stands, we only know that we can potentially jump the mastermind if we wait in the library.” He brings his hand away from the seat. “We need to be better prepared.”

You nod but you don’t know where he’s going with this.

“I left my room and overheard a conversation between Maki and Monokuma. Apparently, her research lab has been opened up. If it contains what I think it does, there’s a chance we could convince her to make us some cameras so we could spy on the library without exhausting ourselves by waiting inside of it. Plus, that gives us physical proof without having to risk violence or panic.” 

You clap your hands together. “If we could add some motion sensors and set some kind of alarm, we could even catch them in the act!”

Kibou pumps his fists, “Good, we’re on the same page then.”

“Where are we going to get the sensors?”

“I think I remember seeing some in the warehouse. That place seems to have everything.”

“And the cameras?”

“Also the warehouse.”

You grip onto your bag strap. “Okay then, let’s go find them!”

You lead the way out of your room and lock the door behind you. You start walking out when you see Shuichi fumbling with his keys.

“Good morning Shuichi!” you call.

He freezes and drops his keys. He scrambles to pick them up and turns to you. “Oh,” he smiles and tries to calm himself down, “morning, Kaede. Morning, Kibou.”

You walk up to him as casually as you can. You think you can smell something new. It’s like... coconuts. He used the coconut oil soap!

You beam, “You smell nice today.”

“T-thank you,” he blushes and scratches the back of his head in embarrassment. “Y-your miniskirt is nice, too.”

You feel giddy. You wonder what he thinks of the deodorant. You sniff around him but there’s nothing other than coconut on him.

“W-what are you doing?” he asks.

You fold your arms and... pass a white lie, “I swear, everyone got at least two things. I was wondering if you got something else as well.”

“Um... t-there was deodorant b-but I couldn’t smell anything special about it. I just hope it works at all.”

“What scent did you get?” you ask. You know what you gave him, this is just self-indulgence at this point.

“It w-was something like... “It’s Not Honey But It’s What You Smell When Your Boyfriend Calls You Honey.” I’m not sure if the p-person wearing it is the boyfriend or it it’s supposed to be for whoever smells it.”

You let out a quizzical “Hmm...” and turn to Kibou.

Kibou is bright red. He’s staring right at Shuichi and playing with his gloves. He looks even more flustered than when you held his hand in the library.

“A-are you okay?” Shuichi asks him.

Kibou turns his head away and taps his fingers together nervously. He buries his face in his vest.

You giggle into your hand, “Looks like someone noticed it after all.”

“H-huh?” 

“I think you’ve been given a very powerful item. Use it wisely,” you smirk and tug on Kibou’s sleeve to pull him away. 

You pretty much drag him out of the dorms. Once he’s outside, he finally loses some colour from his face.

“I... I don’t know what overcame me.”

“Don’t worry about it,” you give him a knowing smile.

He tries to straighten himself out. “I think I saw Maki heading toward the dining hall after she finished talking with Monokuma.”

“What makes you say that?” you ask.

He hesitates. “I may have... followed her out and made sure she wasn’t going to the library.”

The awful reminder that someone could be working with Monokuma hits you like a freight train. The possibility that Maki could be that someone makes you feel worse. You just gave her Maple Fudge scented soap and a flashlight that can change shape and brightness. You suddenly feel unsure about everything again. 

Kibou, sensing your anxiety, extends a hand. He stops but then gently pats your shoulder. “I doubt she’s the mastermind. I don’t think someone smart enough to create sentient bears would also put their ability to do so on display.”

That’s kind of a weak argument but he’s trying. You can at least thank him for that.

You’re about to take out the Monopad when you spot Kokichi looking around at anyone who passes by with suspicion. Tenko has to hold back from shoving him, Rantaro rolls his eyes at something he says, Miu actually shoves him and Kaito shakes his head at him. You wonder what he’s doing.

He walks up to you and Kibou. “Morning, Kaede. Morning, Soldier boy.”

Kibou looks away with an annoyed grunt.

“Say, you didn’t happen to also get two things outside your door, did you?” he asks, tilting his head.

You stand up straighter. “Yup! Did you get something too?”

“Yeah, I did,” he folds his arms behind his head, “I threw them out.”

“What?!” you shout.

“Nee-heehee! I knew it! You handed them out.”

“Did you actually throw them out though?” you feel more betrayed by that than the actual trick.

“I may have, I may have not. I may have not because I don’t usually get presents for free and haven’t had a bath in forever. I may have because it could’ve been super deadly and been used to kill me.” He smiles with mischief in his eyes. “Who knows?”

You frown, “Why do you make things so difficult?”

“Hey, remember when nobody else stood up for you that morning after Monokuma exploded? If I were you, I think I’d be a little more grateful for that.”

“I already gave you two gifts, what else do you want?”

He leaps up, “Whatever idea you and Kibou have to end the killing game!”

You freeze. Kibou flinches.

Kokichi pouts, “Come on, don’t play dumb. You only hang around Kibou because he’s super strong and totally has a knife on him. If you two are conspiring something, I want in on it!”

“I approached Kaede, not the other way around,” Kibou clarifies.

“Leave it,” you stare at Kokichi with suspicion, “why should we tell you anything?”

“Why should you tell each other anything?” Kokichi feigns a gasp and taps his finger against his lips, “Unless... you two have gone further than I thought?”

You assert, “T-that is none of your business!”

“Huh? What were you thinking? I was just asking how far you’ve gotten with exploring the school.” There is no innocence in his face even if his voice masks it.

“No farther than anyone else,” Kibou lies.

Kokichi stares at him for an uncomfortably long time. His eyes shift to you. He looks you up and down, evaluating something. You sweat nervously. He could be trying to assess the lie. Maybe he already knows? You’re not sure.

“Nice skirt,” he finally says.

“O-oh, um... thanks.”

“Would be such a shame if it caught on fire,” his voice goes uncharacteristically flat, “y’know, from your lying.”

“Are you done?” Kibou asks, impatiently.

“Maybe if you actually believed in everyone, you wouldn’t have to worry about that at all.”

With that, Kokichi walks away. You don’t go after him. 

If you actually believed? Does he also know about the mastermind? Something sinks in your chest again. It’s the hopelessness that come when someone figures out the truth.

Kibou shakes his head, “Ignore him, we should press on and find the materials.”

You nod.

You don’t feel the same joy you felt last night anymore. You want to curl up in a ball. You kind of regret drawing so much attention to yourself with the miniskirt. Still, you and Kibou press on. You say occasional greetings to the people you see. Korekiyo gives you a polite hello and casually asks about the gifts. You confess that you did leave them there, already over the appeal of anonymity. You feel slightly better when they thank you. Nothing else eventful happens on the way to the warehouse.

You push open the doors and begin searching for cameras and sensors. You take the left shelves, Kibou takes the right. To be honest, you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for. 

_ Remote controls, wheels, cassette tapes, printer ink, screws... _

“Will this work?” you ask, picking up a small camera. It looks temporary and cheap.

Kibou nods, “Think so. Maybe grab a couple of those.”

You take out four cameras from the box. Then another one because you’re not convinced four is enough.

“Do these look like sensors?” Kibou asks. 

They’re black and have small, white stickers on the side but you can’t see much else.

You shrug, “Sure.” You figure if they’re not, Maki will be able to tell.

Last thing on the agenda is some kind of receiver. You’re not sure what that would look like but you assume it has some kind of button or holes to let sound out. Would it be small? Maybe the size of something on a keychain or— 

WEE WOO WEE WOO WEE WOO WEE—

“Sorry!” Kibou shouts through the alarm. He fiddles with a device until the noise turns off.

“I think we found our alarm,” you chuckle. He looks away with embarrassment as he hands the device to you.

You shove your equipment into your bag and head out of the warehouse.

Kibou opens the door to the dining hall and leads you inside. Maki sits at the end of the table with a screwdriver between her loose fingers. She spins it around. She’s leaning her head on her other hand and her elbow slides, slowly getting closer to the table. You feel nervous approaching her.

_ It’s just me, her and Kibou. I can do this. _

You take a deep breath and smile. “Morning, Maki.”

“What do you want?” she groans.

_ Just pretend she said good morning back. You’ve got this. _

“We... have a small favour to ask of you.”

“We found some cameras and sensors in the warehouse. We were wondering if you could modify them so when it tracks movement, the camera will take a picture. And if one of the cameras could set off an alarm for this receiver. Is that alright?” Kibou finishes.

She looks up but doesn’t move, “What’re you going to use that for?”

You exhale loudly. Coming up with lies on the spot isn’t that easy, you’ll have to admit. “We’re um... keeping Monokuma under surveillance.”

Kibou goes along with it, “We... may learn something important if we can um... track his movements.”

Maki looks away for a moment. She’s considering this! This is good, right?

“No,” she says.

You blink stupidly. “What?”

“I said no,” she sits up, “I don’t trust you and I don’t want to. So no.”

“But this will help everyone escape. Isn’t that what you want?”

“I already said no, don’t make me repeat myself.”

Kibou steps forward, resting a hand on the table, “Maki, this is really important. We’ll owe you anything.”

She stands up, leaning forward with both hands on the table. “How many times do I have to say it before your mushy brains process it? I. Said. No.”

You consider a lot of things in this moment. You could tell the truth, you could lie to her face, you could start begging. You don’t think the last one would work.

Now that she’s stood up, you notice something about the air. It smells of... maple fudge. 

_ So she did use it. _

“Hey, did you ever get your flashlight back?” you ask.

She hesitates. “Yeah, what about it?”

“Well, after you went back up, Kaito gave it to Kibou,” you have to swallow as Kibou gives you a look, “he wanted to give it back earlier but... he was too nervous.”

Maki shifts her eyes back and forth between you and Kibou.

_ Go with it, _ you mentally plead, _ Kibou, please go with it. _

“Why didn’t he give it back earlier?” she asks.

Before you can stutter out something pathetic, Kibou does it first. “I-I wanted to thank you for... standing up for me b-back at the boiler room but I... I um... couldn’t find the words.”

She stares at Kibou with a cocked brow. She looks back at you but only for a second. She leans back from the table, keeping her eyes trained on Kibou but relaxing her face.

“Fine,” she sighs, “I’ll make the stupid cameras.”

“Th-thank you, Maki,” Kibou stutters.

She starts twirling a finger around one of her pigtails. “Yeah yeah, whatever. Just give me the parts and I’ll go set up in my lab.” 

You fish through your bag and take out the cameras and what you hope to be sensors. You hand them to Maki and she takes a moment to inspect them.

“So when the sensors are triggered by movement, you want the cameras to take a picture. You also want another camera to trigger an alarm on this receiver when it senses movement. Is that all?”

Kibou nods, “If that’s alright then yes.”

“When do you need these made?”

Kibou doesn’t give an answer. He’s probably trying to calculate what would be an unreasonable response.

“Could you finish by tomorrow morning?” you ask.

She looks away but not for very long. She nods, “I think so.”

You reach to take her hands but she pulls away before you can. She glares at you.

“Just so we’re clear, this is a favour for _ Kibou_,” she gets closer to intimidate you, looming over you with a sharp scowl. She pushes past you and walks out of the dining hall.

After she’s gone, there’s nothing but silence. A few seconds pass and you can hear a door closing in the distance. You can hear Kibou sighing in relief. Your heart is pounding in your ears. 

_ It... it worked. _

This adrenaline rush... is addicting. Despite the fear creeping into you from Maki’s tone, you can’t help but feel really excited. It’s overpowering.

_ It worked. _

You pump your fists and shake your arms in excitement. “It worked!” you shout. “It worked, it worked, it worked, it worked!” you bounce on your toes and giggle with glee.

“It sure did,” Kibou adds.

“We did it! We’re gonna get the cameras and end the game and save everyone and-! And!” you grab Kibou’s hands and squeeze them as tightly as you can, “We’re gonna live! We’re gonna survive and get out of here and be friends and everything will be okay!”

“U-um... I- uh,” Kibou stutters out but can’t finish his sentence from his fluster. He’s grinning with you. It’s wide and goofy and like his mouth has turned into a squiggly line. 

You could hug him tight and squeeze him until he popped if you wanted to. You don’t, he looks nervous enough.

You feel the rush starting to die down. Now it’s just the two of you alone in the dining hall holding hands and smiling. Something else nestles its way inside to replace the thrill. Is it... uncertainty? The sudden doubt makes your heart sink. The pounding in your ears moves to your throat.

Kibou tilts his head, concerned. “Is something wrong?” 

You perk up, shove those feelings down and smile, “Nope! I’m better than ever.”

“We are going to escape, I promise,” Kibou’s hold tightens. His eyes are sincere.

You give him one last squeeze and then let go. You decide to head back to the dorms together. Once you get inside your room, you take a deep breath.

It’s... not really close to nighttime. You still have the rest of the day to use up. You think you should see what everyone else is doing. Or sleep. You could do either.

** _Free Time Start!_ **

“On the prowl, looking for freedom. Looking for trouble. Crawling on his paws and circling the dome like a hungry animal. He starts to tap against the glass. If he were any more wild, he would’ve used his amazing titanium claws to punch his way out. Instead, he has to think smart. He begins to dig his claws into the dirt.”

“What are you doing?” Kaito asks.

Himiko looks up from the ground. “Escaping.”

“Trying to go under,” Gonta considers, “not bad plan.”

“I was actually asking about the monologue,” Kaito says.

“I like to get into character, it brings me back to my roots,” Himiko says and continues to dig.

“Can Gonta help?” Gonta asks.

Himiko drawls, “First, you’ll need to find your spirit animal. Something to channel within yourself and then express in your unfortunate human body.”

“Got it! Where Gonta find spirit animal?”

Kaito groans, “Come on, stop messing around. You need a shovel, not a spirit animal or whatever.”

“Quiet. This is very important,” Himiko says and stands up. They don’t brush off the dirt from their pants. “When you think of a creature, what represents you the most. What do you see? Does it have fur? Does it have triangular ears? A tail?”

Gonta shakes his head, “...Don’t see those.”

“This is stupid,” Kaito sighs.

“Maybe you see scales. Cold blood runs through your veins.”

“Wings?” Gonta says, though it sounds more like a question.

Himiko taps their chin, “Wings... fluffy or fragile?”

“Thin and black and blue. Pretty.”

“Bugsonas, I’m familiar but not well acquainted.”

“Wait, you were actually trying to dig _ under _ the dome?” Kaito says.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because it could actually work! If you got a shovel pulled up the ground, we could get out!” Kaito puffs his chest, “Gonta, you start digging while I go and look for tools!”

“Oh, no you don’t!” 

“Ah!”

Monokuma appears beside Himiko, scowling. “This is unacceptable! Didn’t you read the rules? No destroying school property!”

“But... it’s dirt. Does that even count as school property?” Himiko asks.

“It does. It absolutely does. I’m adding it to the school rules right now.”

The Monopads beep and shake in their pockets. Himiko takes out theirs and reads through the rules.

“_ Digging with hands or tools is strictly prohibited. Please remember to keep our grounds safe and environmentally friendly _,” they read aloud.

“What a load of crap,” Kaito says, “environmentally friendly? Really? Even with the Exisals and the lack of animals?”

“Them’s the rules, kid. Break them and my cubs might start digging around in your chest.”

Kaito shudders.

“Yeah, I thought so.”

Monokuma disappears, leaving the three of them in low spirits. 

Kaito starts kicking the glass dome, muttering insults at nothing. 

Himiko shrugs. “Nyeh, think I might go back inside and sculpt.”

“With what?” Gonta asks.

“Mud.”

...

Shuichi locks the door behind him and makes his way to the school. His anxious tunnel vision stays directly on the doors as he walks the path. Glass of water. That’s it. That’s all he wants. His throat tenses up at the thought of something going wrong. He takes careful steps so he doesn’t trip. He looks around to see if someone is coming.

Once he makes it to the dining hall, he slowly pulls open the door and peers inside. Only one person is at the table; Maki. She twirls a screwdriver between her fingers with her feet kicked up on the table. A mug sits beside her. Shuichi gulps. 

Gently closing the door behind him, he quickly walks to the kitchen. He considers saying hi or something to that effect but he’s already crossed the floor and there’s no turning back. The sink is easy enough to find. Of course, he doesn’t remember where the cups and mugs are. He sweats uncomfortably as he rummages around the cupboards, mentally screaming at the noise he makes when he pushes containers and plates aside. Why does everything clink and clank and scrape? Why can’t this be quiet? God, is Maki looking up? Is she annoyed?

He freezes at the sound of footsteps. Boots clack along the polished floor, getting louder and louder as they get closer and closer. Shuichi considers curling up into the open cupboard to hide. He figures it wouldn’t work given his size. He puts everything back in the order he found it in and closes the doors. He stands up. He hits his head on the counter. He sucks in his breath and winces. As if his migraines didn’t already hurt, he feels like he’s bordering on a mild concussion.

Maki walks passed him and leaves her mug near the sink. She doesn’t pay any attention to Shuichi as he rubs his head. He looks over at Maki. She takes out some dish soap and a sponge and sets them beside the mug. She takes off her glove and squirts some dish soap into the mug. Looking at her... doesn’t make Shuichi’s headache go away. If anything, it makes it worse. It’s kind of like the feeling of missing something that punches his heart and makes his brain spin. A memory he should have that isn’t there. He wants to ask. If he had the words and confidence, he would ask. But things like this also make him cry for some reason. Would he start crying again? Why does he cry when he remembers things but not well enough to explain?

“Cups are in the top cupboard to your right,” Maki says.

“H-huh?” Shuichi then stutters out some nonsense.

“Bowls and plates are in the bottom cupboards, utensils are in the drawers under the counter, and cups are in the top cupboards,” Maki turns to face him, her hand scrubbing inside the mug, “Kiyo rearranged it so it wasn’t as messy.”

“Th-thank y-you,” Shuichi says. He takes out a glass from the top cupboard and holds it tightly in both hands. He taps his fingers along it.

Maki tips out the mug. “You’re the model, right?”

“U-uh... yes?”

“Figured.”

Shuichi takes in a deep breath before he says, “Wh-why do you ask?”

“I’ve seen you before. Probably in some magazine or something but... it feels strange,” she takes out a tea towel and begins to dry the mug, “it’s like... what did that idiot call it? I think it was... a Mandela effect. Remembering something one way but it’s completely wrong.”

“Y-yeah, I’ve heard of it.”

“Your hair wasn’t so long, it didn’t cover half of your face, and it wasn’t dyed. I can’t tell if I’m misremembering it or I saw you when I was younger.”

“M-maybe we went to the same school?” Shuichi offers.

She shakes her head, “No, I didn’t go to school.”

“Y-you didn’t?”

“I was raised in an orphanage. We had our own teachers there. It wasn’t very good but I learned to read and got taught the basics.”

“A-ah, I see.” Shuichi sets down his glass in fear of crushing it, “I-I didn’t go to school often e-either. My parents t-took us away from our home and w-we travelled too much to stay in one place.”

“That sucks.”

“N-no, it was fine. _ Is _ fine.” He cringes at his word choice.

Maki throws the tea towel on the counter and puts the mug in the cupboard. She quickly dries her hands with a hand towel, slips her glove on and takes Shuichi’s glass. Before he can protest, she goes to the sink, fills it with cold water and then hands it back to Shuichi.

“Where are we getting our water from? There has to be a water tank around here somewhere. Not to mention the seemingly endless supply of food. Where are we?” Maki asks herself more than Shuichi. Luckily, Shuichi is not prepared to answer it so he doesn’t. Unfortunately, he now has nothing to say. He awkwardly sips from the glass.

Maki sighs, “Whatever. Guess I should get back to work.”

“Wh-what are you working on?”

“I’m...” she looks away for a moment. “It’s none of your business.”

“O-oh, sorry,” Shuichi says, closing in on himself again.

Maki walks back to her lab. Shuichi stands in the kitchen with his heart pounding out of his chest. He wonders how he’s kept this up for so many years. He always remembers feeling terrified in front of interviews and cameras but no matter how many times he stuttered and tripped over his own words, he always got applauded. He’d have to walk around a lot in his dressing room before and after though. Lots of walking.

Why does he remember Maki? Why does Maki remember him? Better yet, why does Maki remember a different version of him?

He subtly shakes his head and sips from the glass. He prays he doesn’t see anyone else on the walk back to his room.

...

Ding dong, bing bong

Monotaro begins.“This is an official announcement from the Ultimate Academy.”

“It is now 10 P.M and nighttime has started!” Monophanie continues.

“For one o’ you bastards, this could be the last night ever,” Monosuke chuckles.

Monokid giggles dumbly at the other end of the couch. He has nothing important to add other than drunken ramblings.

“Jeez, is this what happens when you OD on honey?” Monotaro asks.

“Bedtime, ursine!” they all say.

The monitor switches off.

_ Last nighttime? _

...

_ No, I won’t let that happen! We can’t let that happen! _

You strip off your clothes and leave them in the corner of the room into the growing pile. You’ll have to wash them soon. If you live, that is.

_ I will live, _ you think, _ I have to _.

Yes, you do. You have to live.

You lay on the bed, snuggling into the blankets and try to sleep as quickly as possible.


	7. This Class Trial, My Class Trial - Daily Life V

[_The curtains part to show two bears at each end of the stage._ _MONOMA is on the left with _

_ octopus-like locks falling from his childish face. MONOBASHI is on the right with toned arms _

_ and snow white skin.] _

MONOBASHI (Serious) So... we meet again, Monoma.

MONOMA (Smirking) It would seem that way, Monobashi.

MONOBASHI After years of not returning my calls and lying low, you decide to show up here; 

the place we met. What do you have planned?

[_ MONOBASHI and MONOMA step closer with confident strides. MONOBASHI has his hand over _

_ his pocket. _]

MONOMA You really don’t trust me, do you? You still have your hand over the knife like 

always.

MONOBASHI I would think I’d have a good reason.

MONOMA (Slouching) Stealing your beans is not a good reason.

MONOBASHI You poured them into a bottle of Coke, shook them and then—

[_ MONOMA rushes to MONOBASHI and slams a paw onto his mouth. _]

MONOMA Cola. You said cola.

MONOBASHI Right, sorry.

[_ MONOMA takes his paw off of MONOBASHI’s mouth. _]

MONOBASHI Look, the point is that you are hardly trustworthy.

MONOMA Aw, I’m a little offended. I went through all of the effort to send you a bean every 

day in the mail to make up for it. Can’t you be a little grateful?

MONOBASHI That was you? I should’ve known.

MONOMA Yeah, you should’ve. I signed them.

MONOBASHI You know I’m not capable of reading things at the bottom of the page! It’s a 

serious medical condition and I will not stand for your slander!

MONOMA Jeez, calm down. This was going great until you ruined it, like always.

MONOBASHI What exactly did you want out of this?

[_ MONOMA suddenly gets really close to MONOBASHI. He trails a finger along MONOBASHI’s _

_ shoulder. MONOBASHI steps back in discomfort. _]

MONOMA I just wanted to catch up on my favourite criminal. That’s all.

MONOBASHI That’s rich, coming from you of all people.

MONOMA Hey, I don’t kill bears for my job. I just steal which is 100% more 

humane. [_ He takes out his retractable claws _] I kill humans, not bears.

MONOBASHI Wait, you’re agreeing about killing humans?

MONOMA Yes...?

MONOBASHI I don’t kill bears, I kill people.

MONOMA [_Retracting his claws_] Are you serious? I’ve been chasing you and wasting my 

hard earned cash on beans because of something we both do?

MONOBASHI ...Apparently.

[_ MONOMA jumps into the audience and begins to kick over chairs. He pulls people out of their _

_ seats and stabs them with his claws. _]

MONOBASHI (Blushing) Damn.

[_ MONOBASHI jumps into the audience to help MONOMA terrorise the audience. Some people _

_ are screaming, some people are cheering. Some people do both. The room is filled with dead _

_ bodies by the end of the performance. The two bears look to each other with blood coating their _

_ claws and bodies. It smells like the floor after a metal concert. _]

MONOMA Whoa.

MONOBASHI Yeah. This one’s not going on T.V.

MONOMA No, definitely not.

MONOBASHI Worth it?

MONOMA Absolutely.

_To be continued _

* * *

Ding dong, bing bong.

“Rise and shine ursine!”

“This is an official announcement from the Ultimate Academy.” Monosuke leads, “Wake up you bastards, it’s 8 A.M.”

Monophanie gasps, “I can feel my heart pounding in my chest! The time limit expires today. Oh my, the gore. I don’t think I’ll handle it!”

“I know right? I’m so excited too! Do you think anyone will kill instead?” Monotaro trails off, “I wonder, I wonder...”

Monokid babbles something again.

“Hey, why don’t you drink more honey?” Monosuke suggests.

“So long, bear-well!”

The time limit is going to expire tonight. A part of you is so worried and another part is so excited. You hope you’re able to catch the mastermind.

Even so, you feel groggy and slightly unmotivated. You didn’t sleep particularly well last night. To wake yourself up, you start rubbing your eyes and slapping your skin. One yawn escapes you and suddenly, you’re ready to face the day. First order of business; go talk to Kibou!

You change into new clothes and put on a miniskirt again. You think you’ll need to look extra cute for when you escape today. Usual ponytail but this time with a scrunchie on top, nicely done with your stolen comb. You swing on your bag and lock the door behind you. Confidence becomes your new oxygen. You’ve never felt more alive.

You stroll on over to the other side of the dorms, walk up the stairs and find Kibou’s door in between Kokichi and Rantaro. You ring the intercom.

Ding dong.

You straighten out the strap and rest your arm against your bag. You start worrying about how many papers you may have crushed on accident. They’re in folders, sure, but some folders bend which can make the papers bend. What was the one sticking out when you met Shuichi? ‘_ Happiness Tastes Like Hazelnut Spread _’? Who knows what state that’s in now? 

You rifle through your bag and pull out the folder. Apart from some corner crinkles, the papers remain perfectly intact. You sigh in relief. You probably should make sure with the rest of them though. You pull out some other files and scan through the pages. 

_ Not wrinkled, not wrinkled... Oh no, that one has a small tear at the top. Wait, it’s only for the first page. Nevermind. _

You gently drop everything back into your bag and close it again.

_ Shouldn’t he be out by now? _ you think to yourself. You shrug. _ Maybe he didn’t hear me the first time. _

Ding dong.

You can hear some shuffling inside. _ Oh good, he’s fine. _

The door clicks open. Kibou yawns into his hand but smiles when he sees you. “Good morning, Kaede.”

“Morning, Kibou!” you let confidence flow through your lungs once more, “Are we ready? We just need to get the cameras from Maki.”

He salutes, standing up straighter, “Correct. We should get started then.”

You push his arm down from his forehead. “There’s... no need for that.”

Kibou locks the door behind him and you two head out of the dorms.

_ I can understand him putting his keys in his vest pockets but where does his Monopad go? _

...

You... don’t think about it too hard.

Outside of the dorms, Angie begins to wave enthusiastically from the tall grass. You suppose you could stop for a quick chat, it’s only 8 A.M after all.

“Yoo-hoo! Over here!” they bounce toward you like a small rabbit. “Have you two decided how you’re gonna spend your final day?”

“W-what? No, don’t be so pessimistic!” you say.

“It is not pessimism, it’s hope. Salvation comes to those who choose to believe and I was wondering if you two were free for some praying time!”

Kibou shakes his head, “Sorry but we’re in the middle of something right now. Maybe someone like Gonta or Kiyo would join you.”

Angie shrugs, “Meh, I’ll go see if Kiyo’s busy. They have such a tight friendship with Himiko, maybe they’ll also rub off on everyone else.”

“What do you mean?” you ask, nervously.

They clap their hands together and close their eyes, “God has spoken to me. There is a fight going on. Friendship and unwavering joy is the only way to stop them.” They open their eyes and pump their fists, “As God’s one and only prophet, I figured that He meant for me to stop it!”

“F-fighting?” you say, “Who?”

“Dunno, God doesn’t like to drop names. All He said was that they’re in the dining hall.”

Knowing the people here, anyone could be fighting with each other right now. Tenko and Kirumi, Kaito and Kokichi, Kaito and Maki, Miu and... anyone. If it’s Tenko and Kirumi again, someone may actually get hurt. Someone could die.

“Kibou, you go on ahead. I’m should see what’s going on.”

Kibou subtly tilts his head. “Are you sure? Given how many things we brought, I don’t think I would be able to carry them by myself.”

_ You can carry a Monopad, you can probably carry small, disposable cameras. _

You have to shake off the sarcasm. You shoulder off your bag and hold it out to him. 

“Here, take this.”

He hesitates. You edge it closer to him. Reluctantly, he takes it from your hand and slings it over his shoulder.

“But... where should we meet up afterwards?” he asks.

Angie is still standing beside you. If you admit that you need to be in the library, they might question you. You mostly wish you could just tell everyone your plan but... that would risk everything.

“How about the classroom by the basement stairs? Where you and Tsumugi met?”

He nods, says “Classroom where I woke up, got it,” and runs off to Maki’s lab.  
You start to walk towards the building but Angie grips your arm before you can get far.

“You cannot stop the fight by yourself, God’s wisdom must guide you along the way,” they say, almost threateningly.

“Okay, you can come with me,” you try to shake their arm off. 

_ This really is a series of people following me around, huh. _

You’re not sure if that makes things better or worse.

You and Angie walk together to the school. You open the door for them and they bounce through without a single thanks. With everything that’s happened, you can’t help but wonder what’s going on in their head. Leaping and skipping around in the patches of grass and calling you closer. How strange.

Stranger still is something on the ground. You stop and look down at it. 

_ Is this... paint? _

There are two pairs of foot-shaped gaps in the paint. Someone must’ve ran into someone else here and had an accident. You note the colours green, blue, black and white. It might make for a more gloomy painting. When Angie steps on it without a care, they don’t leave any prints behind. It’s not fresh, this has been here for a while.

“Are you coming?” Angie calls.

You look up, “Yeah, I’m coming.”

You step over it. You might have to ask Himiko about it later.

Angie waits by the dining hall, rocking their hips to an imaginary beat while you catch up to them.

“Beyond this door lies an argument. We’ve been sent by God to close it,” their voice goes lower, “are you ready?”

“You don’t have to make it sound so ominous,” you half-heartedly chuckle.

Angie pushes the door open and takes wide steps inside. Whatever argument was going on has suddenly gone silent from their loud entrance. From behind them, you step out and place your hands to your hips. “Alright, what’s going on here?”

“Oh, hey Kaede,” Kaito greets, annoyed.

“Morning,” Ryoma mumbles.

“Good morning, Kaede and Angie,” Kiyo also greets but they’re obviously seething.

“I heard there was a fight happening. You wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with it, would you?” you ask.

Ryoma’s eyes narrow. “I think _ fight _ might be a bit... strong.”

“We’re more having a discussion than anything else,” Kiyo adds with shifty eyes, “a disagreement, at the worst.”

“Oh for the love of- Kaede, they’re actually considering a really dumb plan,” Kaito drags a hand over his face.

Ryoma sticks his hands in his pockets, “I was only making a suggestion. You didn’t have to get yourself so involved.”

“And I was exploring the possibilities for this suggestion,” Kiyo folds their arms.

“Yeah well, it’s a stupid idea and you should stop thinking about it!”

“What’s the stupid plan?!” you shout over them.

Ryoma clears his throat and steps forward. “The idea was... the first blood perk is still in place, right? If someone were to kill another student then they could go free just like that.”

“Here we go,” Kaito sighs.

“So what I was thinking is that since I don’t have a talent and therefore have no real reason to live, maybe someone else could go free in exchange for... my life.”

You feel short of breath. “W-what?”

“The only question left is who to give my life to. I offered it to Kiyo since they have a gang to get back to,” Ryoma shrugs nonchalantly.

“I still feel I must decline your offer, as selfless as it may be.” They fiddle with a chain around their neck, “Though my duties with my gang may not be over, I’m afraid my conscious wouldn’t allow me to carry more than one death on my back.”

“M-more than one?” you choke out.

“Yes. It’s a cruel world out there. Though, maybe no more cruel than the one we’ve found here.”

Ryoma looks up at you. “Now we’re trying to settle on who I should offer my life to.”

“And I said _ no-one _! No matter how you look at it, this is a stupid plan! You agree with me, right?” Kaito shouts.

Your eyes sting. Your throat is dry. “W-we said we’d all get out together! You said you liked my plan!” 

“I did, I still do,” he shakes his head, “but time is running out. I only wanted to bring this up when I knew there would be no other option. Plus, idealism only lasts for a short amount of time.”

“Th-there are more options! We just have to... work together and trust each other!”

“I have yet to see a plausible solution offered by anyone else. This plan isn’t as ridiculous as you make it out to be,” Kiyo says.

Kaito stomps toward them, “It’s absolutely ridiculous and you know it!”

Angie taps a finger to their chin, “Hm... God doesn’t think Kaede is helping.”

“Shut up, Angie! We’re going to get out of here ‘cause I’m going to end this killing game so nobody do anything unnecessary!”

You pant hard. You flick the tears away. All eyes are on you.

“...End the killing game?” Ryoma repeats.

You nod, sniffling, “Yeah, that’s right. Nobody has to die. I’m going to... to end it before anything bad happens.”

“And how do you plan to do this?” Kiyo asks.

You shake your head, “I can’t tell you. It has to be a secret and I’m sorry but that’s the way it is. I wish I could tell you but... I can’t. But please,” you drop to your knees, “nobody do anything that doesn’t need to be done. Nobody kill, nobody die. Please, promise me.”

With guilt, Ryoma sighs and shoves his hands in his pockets again. He shuffles toward you and looks down (only slightly but still down.)

“Well, when you phrase it like that, I guess dying here could be pretty unnecessary. Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“If you do have a plan in mind then I will make no further attempt to humour such a suggestion,” Kiyo uncrosses their arms and softens their face. “I will do whatever it takes to make your dream come true.”

“Thank you,” you choke, flicking another tear away.

“Now that that’s over, what should we do now?” asks Kaito.

No-one else knows. You don’t know what they should do but you’ve already spent enough time keeping Kibou waiting. You’ve made quite the show but now you don’t know how to leave.

In a stroke of luck, Kaito extends a hand to you with a tilted smile. You take it and he pulls you up. After thanking him, Ryoma takes his leave back to his dorms. Angie, satisfied that the fight is over, praises their God for bestowing their guidance upon you and skips out of the room. Kiyo continues to hang around the dining hall (they’re probably the only person who eats breakfast at this rate) and you think you’re comfortable enough to leave now.

“I should go,” you say, “but we will escape today.”

“I believe you,” Kaito replies. He offers to escort you out but you have to decline. He shrugs and decides to run a lap around the dome.

You pull out the Monopad, find the classroom and press “Go!”. It may be lazy but it’s effective. You get the feeling you’re missing something. You check the clock, it’s 8:56 A.M.

When you look up, someone’s hand is in your face. You recoil.

“Oh, you’re back,” Tsumugi says with relief.

You slide the Monopad back into your bag. “Sorry, went into zombie mode again. What’s up?”

“I was just wondering what you were up to. You were walking toward the classroom with such purpose,” she twirls a strand of hair between her fingers, “I... also wanted to know what you plan to do in these final hours.”

You shake your head, “Not final, we’re going to live. I’m determined to.”

“Y-you’re not planning on killing someone, are you?” she gasps.

“No, I’m not. We’re going to survive without any deaths or murder.”

“Oh! Oh good,” she pushes her glasses back up, “you know, it can be hard to trust people here ‘cause of the time limit and the stress and the... all of it. I’ve started trying to find books in the library but they’re all gibberish and unreadable.”

“Did you find any that you could actually get through?”

Tsumugi sighs, “I did try to get through three chapters of one but it’s so hard to focus when I can’t even associate the main character with... something! Anything!”

“Hey, that’s further than me.”

“How far did you get?”

“I read less than a page and gave up.”

“Oh dear,” she giggles.

You really wish you could stay and chat but you know damn well there’s a time limit. You don’t know how to end this conversation.

“Um... I have to get back to... meeting up with someone,” you throw in a smile to seal the deal.

She gives you one too, a genuine one. “Okay. I hope we can talk again soon. If... you know.”

“I know,” you nod.

“See you soon,” she says and turns away.

You wave to her as she goes. “Yeah, see you.”

You collect yourself and open the door. You walk inside with the same timid mind when you first came here. You see Kibou sitting in one of the chairs facing the board. Your bag sits on a chair beside him, the strap dangling off the edge. You can hear tapping coming from him. His head is in his hand. You step inside and gently close the door behind you. 

Hearing the click, Kibou turns his head and smiles.

“Sorry I’m late, Kibou,” you say.

“We didn’t specify a time so you can’t really be considered late.” He stands up from his seat. It loudly scrapes on the ground, he winces at it.

“Did Maki finish the cameras?”

“Yes. I assume she must’ve spent an awfully long time on them,” he says as he picks up your bag and pulls everything out.

“What makes you say that?”

He pauses, looking off distantly. After a couple of seconds, he looks up again, “She... said some things I thought she wouldn’t say. Plus, the bags under her eyes were a lot deeper than before.”

“Right,” you say. You would love to pry into that conversation but there are more important things at hand. “So we’ve got the cameras that have sensors on them and the camera that’ll trigger the alarm, right?”

“Correct.”

“...Won’t the alarm be super loud? I mean, we heard it before and it was pretty loud.”

“I actually assume that’s something that kept Maki up late. I was about to test it when she stopped me and said something along the lines of “Keep that goddamn thing away from me.” I wonder if she made it any quieter.”

“Should we test it?”

He holds it out to you, “I don’t see why not.”

You take it and hesitate. The Wee woo still plays in your head. You press the alarm button.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE-

You press the button again.

“It’s far less annoying than the last one,” you say.

“I agree.”

Kibou goes over the rest of the modifications in the cameras. Completely silent, self-winding, motion triggered cameras. He praises Maki for all the hard work she put into them. You can’t help but praise her too. You think you should go talk to her later, when you get out of here, that is.

Kibou says he’ll explain where the cameras should go once you get down to the library. He glances at the door.

“When we’re keeping watch, we should leave the door open so we can tell who’s going down into the basement.”

You nod.

You pick up your bag, put the cameras back inside and walk out the door. Kibou follows close behind. As much as you hate it, you walk down the stairs and endure the dizziness at the bottom. Kibou walks a little closer to you. You’re not sure what that’s a response to but you feel at least a little bit more safe. You open the double doors close to the air vent. It creaks as you push it open.

“Huh?”

It’s closing. The bookcase on the other side of the room is slowly closing. Kibou steps ahead of you and sprints to the moving bookcase. He puts his hands out to stop it but it’s too late. He drops his arms in defeat.

“Wait, hold on!” you call. You run to the bookcase but before you can pull on it, the bookcase shudders. It pulls open again and then tries to close itself. It shudders again, mechanical whirrs screech from inside. Something isn’t right.

Kibou rests a hand on a shelf. “Is... is it jammed?”

He looks at you. The bookcase tries to close itself again and shudders. His expression changes. You’re about to ask but he puts up his hand to say _ halt _. He turns and places his hands on the bookcase. Anxiously, you watch him pull it open.

Something falls to the floor.

Kibou shouts “W-what the—!”

Or rather... someone...

  


Out from the moving bookcase... just in front of Kibou’s feet... lies Kokichi Oma. His back bloody and his midriff stained. Dirty hair. Lifeless skin. Splayed awkwardly on the floor. His chest doesn’t rise or fall. 

You scream. It’s a long scream. It’s the loudest scream you’ve ever screamed. 

Kibou flips the body onto the side. He kneels and puts a hand close to Kokichi’s face.

“He’s... dead.”

“He’s joking, check again.”

Kibou places two fingers on Kokichi’s neck. After a couple of seconds, he shakes his head.

You’re sobbing. “No... we were going to save him.”

“I’m sorry.”

“We were going to save everyone!” you fall to your knees. “We-we were going to survive! Why?!”

“Kaede—”

Ding dong, dong ding.

Something interrupts him.

The monitor switches on. Monokuma is holding a champagne glass, wicked smile on his face.

“A body has been discovered! Puhuhuhu! Everyone, please make your way to the library!”


	8. This Class Trial, My Class Trial - Deadly Life I

The library doors are thrown open. In comes Tsumugi, Kiyo, Angie and Miu. Screams fill the library as the four stand behind you. 

“S-someone’s dead? Already?!” Tsumugi gasps.

“Fuckin’ hell, I came running down for this asshole?” Miu says.

“So, it has begun,” Kiyo folds their arms. “The Killing Game takes its first victim.”

“Do we really know he’s dead? Like, really really?” Angie asks.

Kibou wrings his hands, “I’ve checked. Kokichi is really dead.”

“Oh... that’s too bad.”

The door slams open again. 

“I just... ran down... three flights of stairs,” Kirumi pants, stumbling toward you, “is somebody dead or— WHAAAAAA!”

THUD!

You turn around. Shuichi is on the floor. Kirumi is screaming. Angie is preaching. Kibou is trying to keep everyone together. The library is spinning.

_ What was Kokichi doing down here? Why was he stuck in the moving bookcase? _

The doors open again. Kaito, Ryoma, Gonta, Maki and Rantaro come sprinting in while Himiko and Tenko walk in at a leisurely pace.

“Th-the announcement only said _ body _ and now there’s _ two _?” Kaito yells.

“He’s not dead, he just fainted,” Maki says. “He’s still clearly breathing, idiot.”

Kaito pushes Kibou aside and slides on the floor. He stares down at Kokichi.

“What the...?! What the fuck is going on?!”

“Mind your language,” Tenko says.

“_ That’s _ what you’re worried about?” Kirumi stops screaming to say.

“Dammit, it happened,” Rantaro sounds more annoyed with himself.

Gonta is also screaming.

“Everybody, please calm down! We’re going to get to the bottom of this,” Kibou says.

Just when things can’t get worse, you hear the familiar sound of “Puhuhu,” entering the room.

“Phew! A murder took place after all. I was super scared you guys wouldn’t pull through but you did.”

“Shut up,” Maki says through clenched teeth.

“Yeah, can the commentary you fuckin’ psycho bear!” Miu adds.

“Aw... you’re so mean. But I digress. Now that everyone’s here, we can all say our goodbyes to the lucky bastard who’s graduating today! If you’re the blackened who killed Kokichi, raise your hand!”

The Monokubs appear on top of a bookshelf.

“Or ya’ll could go the hostile route and just fight the bastard. That works too,” Monosuke says.

Monophanie starts to sweat. “V-violence and gore? How horrific!”

“So, who’s gonna graduate? Raise your hand nice and high.” Monotaro says.

Nobody moves a muscle. 

_ Who... why would they kill and not use the perk? What’s the point in that? _

“Come on, which one of you punks killed to get out of here?” Monokid roars.

Clothes rustle. You look up at the crowd. Tsumugi is only playing with her clothes. Kirumi (who at this point has ruined her mascara) tries to shake Shuichi awake. 

_ Is this what it was like when I fainted? _

“Isn’t it unfair to ask this while one of us is unconscious?” Kibou breaks the silence.

“What, you think Shuichi did it?” Kirumi stands up, “You think he’d really kill someone? Is that what you’re saying?”

“I-I’m not pointing fingers, I’m just making sure.”

“Making sure of what?”

“This is pointless,” Maki shakes her head, “it doesn’t matter if Shuichi did it or not, the question was about fairness.”

Kirumi rolls her eyes, “Kaede slept through the explanation of the killing game and Monopads, why can’t Shuichi sleep through this?”

“Because the consequences for sleeping through the First Blood Perk could include accidentally causing a class trial when it didn’t need to happen. Not to mention missing the instructions on how to investigate, therefore making him completely useless.” Maki steps over Shuichi to get to Kirumi. “What, did you forget how to think?”

“Will the blackened please raise their hand?!”

Monokuma controls the room with a single shout. Maki and Kirumi turn to him. 

No-one responds to his question. 

“Oh, I see,” he says, “so that’s how it is.”

“Wh-what is how what is?” Kibou asks.

Monokuma brings his paws to his face. “The blackened wants a class trial. How cocky. How exciting.”

“The hell’s a class trial?” Kaito asks, standing up from the floor.

“Only the most exciting and interesting part of the experience!” says Monosuke.

“Everyone investigates and then a trial is held to find Kokichi’s killer. Get it right, only the killer is punished. But, if you get it wrong...” Monotaro bounces in place, “everyone else _ besides _ the killer is punished!”

_ Why? Why would they not step forward?! What reason do they have to hold a trial and make us fight for our lives?! _

Kaito looks like he’s about to shout something but Monokuma interrupts him.

“Before you start whining, I should remind you that you’ve only got a small amount of time. If you wanna live, better start investigating!”

With that, Monokuma and the Monokubs vanish from the library.

“This is much worse than if the killer had just accepted the perk,” Rantaro grimaces.

“Maybe so,” Kiyo taps their chin, “but that also means we have a chance at justice.”

“So one of us really is the killer,” Himiko says.

Kirumi throws her arms up. “Where do we even start? None of us are detectives and we don’t have any forensic stuff. How far are we actually gonna get before we’re annihilated?”

“Well, there are fifteen of us and one killer. It’d be faster to limit it down to a few suspects and then let God decide who should be punished,” says Angie.

“D-don’t like that idea,” Gonta stutters.

“Hey, Kiyo, you do illegal stuff. How do you feel about torture?” Kirumi asks. You can’t tell if she’s serious or not.

Kiyo looks away, “I do believe you severely misunderstand what exactly it is a biker gang leader does.”

“Nyeh... isn’t Kibou the most suspicious? He literally kills people for a living and was one of the first ones to arrive,” Himiko says.

He doesn’t respond.

“Wait, stop!” you shout over the accusations. You rise to your feet. “This isn’t how we investigate! If we keep standing around accusing each other, we won’t find the killer.”

Tsumugi pumps her fists. “Yeah! Those detective mangas don’t get their mysteries solved by pointing fingers. We should collect evidence and leave the pointing to the trial.”

Miu folds her arms. “But someone could mess with the evidence. How can we trust anyone if anyone can just touch whatever?”

“Gonta can guard body,” Gonta offers.

“One problem, big dick. We can’t trust you. Everyone’s a fuckin’ suspect.”

“I’ll guard with him,” Kaito scratches the back of his neck, “I’m not that good at looking around but... I wanna help at least a little.”

Miu shrugs.

Shuichi groans from the floor.

“I’ll keep him updated,” says Kirumi.

_ Alright... we’re doing this. We’re going to work together. _

“Let’s work together to find the truth,” you say.

Everyone nods in agreement.

“Hold up, forgot to give you something,” Monokuma returns and drops a bunch of tablets on the floor.

“...What are those?” you ask.

“It’s... the Monokuma file!”

“But there are lots of them. They’re all _ the _ Monokuma file?”

Monokuma goes red. “Jeez, so pedantic. They’re all Monokuma files. There, happy now?”

You sigh.

“Anyway, the Monokuma files are detailed reports that summarise all the info about the dead body. Of course, none of it points to the culprit ‘cause that would ruin the fun.”

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to upload the file to everyone’s Monopad instead of creating a separate pad for this one file?” Maki points out.

Angie jumps up. “I was about to ask the same thing! I could’ve programmed that myself.”

“Less complaining, more investigating! I’ll have you all executed if you can’t pick up any evidence.” Monokuma then disappears.

You’re the first to step up to the files and pick it up. You hear the others talking about how trustworthy they are. Tsumugi picks one up too. You exchange an uneasy look.

Shoving the Monokuma file under your arm, you pull out your Monopad to compare them. They seem to be the same size but the file feels lighter. You put the Monopad under your arm and hold the file in both hands.

_ Here goes nothing _.

You tap on the screen. You have to tilt it so it’s vertical. The contents are blurry but above it reads ’_ Monokuma file 01’ _. There’s some small text underneath it but it looks like gibberish. You pinch the screen to make it zoom in but you tap the small text on accident. The text above changes to something in a different language. 

_ Huh, neat. _

You tap the original option and slide down to unlock it. The screen becomes brighter and clearer. It’s a profile about Kokichi. A mugshot of his face catches you off guard. The table underneath doesn’t say much about the murder.

_ ‘The victim is Kokichi Oma, the Ultimate Clairvoyant. _

_ Height: 156 cm _

_ Weight: 44 kg _

_ Chest: 70 cm _

_ Blood type: A’ _

The tab labelled ‘_ Situation _’ looks more relevant. You tap it. It’s your exact memory of how you first discovered the body, high camera angle and everything. It sends shivers down your spine. You read the text underneath.

“**Cause of Death**

_ The victim’s body was discovered in the library. _

_ The victim was killed by a fatal impaling to the heart resulting in loss of blood flow and death in minutes. Additionally, he was subjected to blunt force trauma to the back of the skull. _’

Beside the text, a full body picture of Kokichi with pink circles over the wounds.

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Monokuma File 1” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

Actually, while it’s here, you might as well read over the rules in the Monopad. It might have more hints about how to investigate or clarify something. Holding the file in one hand, you take out the Monopad and slip the file into your bag. You wish this wasn’t so needlessly convoluted. 

You tap regulations. 

The academy crest shows at the centre of the screen. You swipe up. The crest slides down and shows an animation of a page-a-day calendar. There’s a red cross over it.

_ ‘Students must live at the Ultimate Academy for the remainder of their foreseeable future.’ _

You swipe up. The next rule shows a stick figure of a dead body with pink blood spilling on the floor. It’s surrounded by red, blue and yellow chess pieces behind what look like gates. A Monokuma piece is at the back in a chair.

_ ‘Once a murder takes place, all surviving students must participate in a class trial.’ _

All pieces but one turn white, the remainder turns black. 

You swipe up. A gavel falls on the blackened.

_ ‘If the blackened is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be executed.’ _

You swipe up. The animation resets. Gavels fall on everyone except for the blackened.

_ ‘If the blackened is not exposed, all remaining students will be executed. _’

You swipe up. The blackened moves to the centre of the screen with pink petals dancing around it.

_ ‘If the blackened survives the class trial, they will graduate and re-enter the outside world.’ _

You swipe up. The pieces are all lined up in two rows. One-by-one, a gavel squishes them until only two remain.

_ ‘The killing game and class trials will continue until only two surviving students remain.’ _

You swipe up. A yellow moon appears, surrounded by stars. Pictures of the dining hall and the gym appear beside it. They have red crosses through them.

_ ‘“Nighttime” is from 10 P.M to _—’

You swipe up.

Two chess pieces appear with Monokuma in the middle. The two pieces seem to be hitting Monokuma. There’s a red cross over the whole animation.

_ ‘Violence toward Monokuma, the headmaster of _ — _ ’ _

Swipe up.

Monokuma holds a knife and—

Up.

A Monopad cracking—

Up.

Dead body on the floor. Three pieces are beside it.

_ ‘The body discovery announcement _ — _ ’ _

Up.

_ ...Hold on. _

You swipe down.

_ ‘The body discovery announcement 'will play when three or more students discover a body.’ _

Wait, didn’t you and Kibou find the body first? Did something happen that made the announcement play earlier? Did it glitch out?

“Why do you look confused?” Tsumugi asks.

You turn off the Monopad and put it back in your bag. “It’s nothing, I was just reading the rules.”

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“School Regulations” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

The file doesn’t say why he’s in the library. If he was killed in the bookcase then he knew about the secret door, right? Was... was he the mastermind? The killing game is still going so it’s doubtful. Maybe he found it on accident like you and Kibou. If that’s the case...

“Kibou, can I talk to you for a second?” you ask.

He walks over to you. You hand him the file and he reads over it. Once he’s done, he hands it back to you.

“If Kokichi knew about the bookcase, do you think the mastermind could have killed him?”

He holds his chin, “That could be plausible but... part of me thinks the situation wasn’t desperate enough for that to be necessary.”

“Desperate?”

“If, for example, nobody had died an hour before the time limit and Kokichi was snooping around then the theory would be that the mastermind would feel more inclined to kill before he could catch the mastermind creating the Monokumas for punishment.” He shakes his head, “But because we haven’t even made it past the morning, I see no reason to rush into killing so early.”

“Who’s a mastermind?”

_ Shit! Forgot Tsumugi was here! _

“Keep your voice down,” you whisper and pull her closer.

“What’s going on?” she asks.

You look at Kibou. He gives you a nervous nod.

You quickly explain everything about the secret bookcase and the mastermind. It’s actually relieving to be able to tell someone about this instead of keeping it locked up in your head. You take out the cameras and sensors from your bag and show them to her. She nods along attentively.

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” she asks.

“We were worried about causing a panic and alerting the mastermind to our plan,” Kibou answers.

She leans back. “Ah, gotcha.”

Maki clears her throat. “Hey, since we’re all pretty suspicious of each other, how do we know someone’s not gonna destroy evidence instead of investigating?”

Shuichi mumbles something. Kirumi speaks for him. “He said we could pair up with each other.”

“But there are fifteen of us. Unless one of us wants to pair up with Kokichi,” says Angie.

“Kokichi is dead,” Rantaro reminds them.

“They say the dead tell no tales but they are the closest to God. In His eyes, your story is meaningless because you choose to doubt what you cannot see. If you don’t listen to the tale closest to God, you will only prove yourself a fool.” Their smile grows wider. It’s consuming, the darkness seems to swell with them. 

Rantaro steps back, agape.

Angie giggles innocently, “I’m gonna pair up with Kokichi!”

You shudder. “I’m making an executive decision; someone’s keeping an eye on Angie.”

“I’ll do it,” Tenko volunteers, “I don’t plan on running around getting my kimono dirty. It’s unladylike.”

Kirumi looks like she’s about to explode. 

Shuichi interrupts her. “I-I think I’m g-going to stay with Kirumi.”

Everyone else pairs up with each other. You decide to form a trio with Kibou and Tsumugi.

_ Yeah, we can do this _. 

You take a deep breath. Everything is going to work out. You will find the culprit. You will discover the truth. You will defeat the mastermind. You’re sure of it.

** _ Investigation START!_ **

Once pairs are sorted, everyone splits off in their own paths. Maki and Ryoma head to the warehouse to look for drones to make a floor plan. Kiyo thinks a knife could have been the murder weapon so they and Himiko go to the dining hall together. Angie and Tenko stand by the library door after Tenko convinces Angie that meditating would be a better use of time than trying to speak to the dead. Miu whines as she drags poor Rantaro outside the library to who knows where.

Kibou insists you start with investigating the corpse. Kaito and Gonta step aside to let you look around.

Kokichi is... so pale. And greenish. With some blue. It’s disgusting. 

Tsumugi crouches down and looks over the body. “Hm... I’m not sure how useful I can be but once I read an article about telling a body’s time of death.”

“I assume you’re referring to how blood will coagulate after a significant amount of time has passed,” Kibou clarifies.

“Yeah. I don’t know for certain but I think if he’s super pale then he’s been dead for a while. Didn’t you two find him only a couple of minutes ago?”

You check the time on your Monopad. It’s 9:14. “Roughly twenty minutes ago.”

Kibou folds his arms. “Effects of livor mortis starts at around twenty to thirty minutes after death but it’s really only visible after two hours. Judging by his sickly skin, we can determine that his death occurred before daytime.”

“Wow! It feels just like a detective manga! You’re incredible,” Tsumugi fawns.

“I-I don’t know if that’s correct. I would sometimes watch the other nurses filling in autopsies and they definitely know more than I do about this sort of stuff.”

You look at Kokichi again. You shiver. “It’s the best we’re gonna get. It’s one step closer to solving the mystery.”

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Kibou’s Autopsy” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

You look around the bookshelf. Something feels wrong about this crime scene. There’s clearly blood on Kokichi’s top but...

You step around the body to look inside of the secret door. The back of the bookshelf has no blood. The hidden door has no blood. The floor, the books, the other shelves are all clean excluding the dust.

_ For an impalement, this is a very clean crime scene. _

“Hey, Kibou,” you call, “do you think the culprit cleaned up all of the blood?”

He hesitates. He looks around the body, checking the shelves and stacks of books lying around. He brushes his finger along a row of books, a thick cloud of dust piles onto his glove. He flicks it off.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Huh? What makes you say that?”

“If they cleaned up all of the blood then they would have also cleaned all of then dust in the area.”

Tsumugi sniffs around. “Yeah, I can’t smell any cleaning products either.”

You look at the hidden door. “Hmm...”

Stepping around the body, you trace a finger over the inside of the secret bookcase. It’s dusty, not as dusty as the other shelves but still dusty. It reeks of musty books and old wood.

“Strange,” you mutter to yourself.

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“No Blood” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

Speaking of the secret bookcase...

_ Why was Kokichi’s body shoved in here? _

If Kokichi knew about the hidden door, what was he planning on doing when he came down here? Had he only just discovered it and then was attacked? He had asked about what you and Kibou were doing earlier. Did he know then? Why would he be down here during nighttime? Was he _ that _ suspicious of everyone? Did he ever even go to the library? You never saw him go down the stairs.

Maybe the culprit shoved him into the bookcase? If so, who else knew about the hidden door? Who else went to the library? Himiko was here when you first arrived, does she know about the hidden door? Why would she kill Kokichi and then not take the First Blood Perk?

You have far too many questions about this, it’s starting to hurt your brain.

  
“Are you okay?” Tsumugi asks, resting a hand on your back.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m fine,” you lie.

You turn away to get her to stop looking at you. Shuichi has finally been peeled off the floor and is now holding his head in his hand. He groans, wobbling as Kirumi tries to hold him upright.

“Is he going to be alright?” you ask Kirumi.  
She flicks her hair out of her face, “Yeah, think so. He only passed out for like, a minute.”

“I-I woke up sooner but y-you all sounded busy so I um... I s-stayed quiet.”

_ Of course you did. _

“What caused you to faint? Was it just Kokichi’s body?” Tsumugi asks.

He shudders. “S-something... a-a bunch of visions came at once. I d-don’t know, I have no idea what m-made me see those things.”

“What kind of things?” you ask.

“B-blood, lots of blood. Something green. I-I think it was... hair? A-and a metal ball, also covered in blood. A-after that, I have... trouble remembering.” He lifts himself up and Kirumi lets him go. He stumbles closer toward you. “S-sorry, I’m not contributing anything, am I?”

You shake your head. “It’s okay, none of us really know what we’re doing. I wouldn’t expect a fashionista to be able to be able to solve the whole case by himself, much less after he’s passed out.”

Shuichi stares off into the ground for a moment. Without saying anything, he wobbles toward Kokichi’s body and looks down at it. His eyes narrow.

“W-wasn’t he wearing a coat?” he asks.

“Maybe he got too hot?” Tsumugi says.

"He's also not wearing his sandals," Kirumi notes.

Shuichi squints and leans closer but doesn’t take a step. He doesn’t really investigate, just looks closer. “C-could someone please... um, check something f-for me?”

Kibou, already standing near Kokichi’s body, nods.

“Th-this will sound w-weird but... could you s-see if there’s a t-tag on the front of his top?”

Kibou crouches down, pulls off Kokichi’s necklace and sets it beside himself. He pulls back the hem of Kokichi’s midriff. On his front, there is a tag. He pulls it up to show Shuichi.

“O-okay, thanks.”

“Why did you want to know that?” you ask.

“His shirt’s backwards, his coat’s missing and his sandals are gone,” Kirumi folds her arms, “doesn’t that seem kind of weird?”

“Kokichi wasn’t exactly a normal person,” Kibou says.

_ You’re one to talk _.

...

_ Wait, that was super mean. _

“S-sorry, I’m b-being useless again,” Shuichi apologises.

You fold your arms. “No, the point is that you’re trying. That could have been a useful clue. We’ll know when we all come together again so don’t sweat it for now.”

You give him a small smile. He doesn’t give one back. He holds himself tightly, fiddling with his tie again. It’s not done up properly.

You’re actually not sure if that’s a useful piece of evidence but you’ll keep it in mind anyway.

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Backwards Shirt” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

But now you’re not really sure what to do from here. Kibou says he’ll stay near the body to see if he can pick up any more clues. Kaito and Gonta promise to keep an eye on him, forming a new trio. You turn your head to see Tsumugi tapping her hand on her chin. When she notices you staring, she tenses. You don’t think she was actually thinking about the investigation.

If the body has been assessed and there aren’t any more clues in the library... what other leads are there?

...

_ Don’t detectives collect alibis? _

You kind of wish you were a mystery writer instead of a romance writer.

“So, what’s the plan?” Tsumugi asks.

“I think...” you sweat from the pressure, “we should... ask around?”

She perks up, “Ah! That’s right! We’ll find the culprit if we can narrow down the suspects without stable alibis. Good thinking!”

“It’s not that impressive.”

“But to think a fan like me gets to watch the amateur detective protagonist solving the mystery. I never thought my luck would bring me here.”

“Right... yeah,” you nod along. She’s still a little weird about the luck thing but as long as she’s trying her best, you don’t think you should mind.

Who should you ask first? Gonta and Kaito are pretty close by and Angie and Tenko are by the door. The order probably won’t be that important but... y’know, choice is nice sometimes.

_ What am I even thinking about? _

You turn to look at Tsumugi. “Where were you this morning?”

She blinks. “I... came up the stairs from the basement. You saw me, didn’t you?”

You halfheartedly laugh, “Not really, I went into zombie-mode.”

“Yeah. Anyway, I had just come out of the AV room ‘cause I found some super cool anime there. You should check it out, might have something you’ll like.”

“...Maybe later,” you sigh.

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Tsumugi’s Account” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

  
  


You straighten yourself out and approach Kaito.

You wave to get his attention. “Hey, we’re collecting alibis. When was the last time you saw Kokichi?”

He looks away to think. He starts sweating. “...Yesterday afternoon. He was uh... bugging me about... stuff.”

_ Why would he lie about this? Unless... _

“Kaito, I need you to be honest with me. Even if you think it’ll make you suspicious, we should trust each other, right?”

His eyes dart around the place, “Wh-what are you talking about?”

“Kaito.”

“Trust me on this!” he shouts.

You give Tsumugi a look. She clearly doesn’t buy it either. 

_ Why is he acting so suspicious? He wouldn’t kill Kokichi. _

_ Would he? _

You don’t feel like you’ve gotten anywhere from talking to him. He might be useful later. You hope, at least.

You turn to Gonta. “When was the last time you saw Kokichi?”

He looks away, deep in thought. “Kokichi asked Gonta for a piggyback ride yesterday night. Dropped him off in front of dorm room. He said thank you and goodnight.”

“So he was still alive last night?” you clarify.

“Think so,” he wrinkles his face, “Gonta still can’t see too well. Wanted to find Maki but couldn’t find door.”

_ So I was right, he couldn’t find it. _

Still, this suggests that Kokichi was killed during nighttime which can narrow it down a little better. If you had more details, you might be able to estimate what exact time he was murdered.

_ Murdered... _

You shake off the thought and consult your partner who is currently posing. Probably trying to figure out where she would stand for the cover of the detective novel she thinks she’s in. Not that you can blame her but... there are more serious matters at hand.

“Tsumugi, how about you ask Tenko and Kirumi about where they were last night and I’ll ask Angie and Shuichi. It’ll probably speed things up a bit.”

She stops posing to excitedly nod and bounce on her toes. “I’m helping the protagonist? Really? I’m so blessed!”

“Someone’s died,” you remind her.

“I know, I’m sorry. Sometimes I like to imagine fictional scenarios as a coping mechanism.”

With that, she races to Tenko and starts firing questions at her.

You approach Shuichi first. He’s leaning against the wall, still fiddling with his tie.

“Hey, can I ask when the last time you saw Kokichi was?”

He hesitates. “I-if I’m honest, I th-think that was yesterday afternoon. He w-wouldn’t stop asking me if I w-wanted to hear my fortune.”

“Did he give you one?”

“E-eventually, yeah. I-I got sick of him asking. He said I... was someone important in a past life. That I w-wouldn’t be important now but th-that I would be soon. He said “The puzzle is easy but the final piece is lost somewhere in the box,” or something.” He curls his brow, “I have no idea what he meant, though.”

You look down, “That sounds super cryptic.”

“B-but I feel bad. He wanted to talk to someone a-and... I think give them a fortune too? I-it started with a ‘K’ and then he interrupted himself. H-he can’t now, sorry.”

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault,” you say.

He hums but you don’t think he really listened. He heard, he didn’t absorb. You only feel worse for not stopping his death. If you’d been faster with coming up with a plan. If you’d have discovered the bookcase sooner. If you had told the group what was happening. If you had told Kokichi not to go out alone near the library toward the end of the time limit. 

_ When did I get so anxious? _

You figure hindsight isn’t going to save Kokichi. You ask Shuichi if you can touch him. He nods. You give him a gentle pat on the back for reassurance. Past life? Why does that sound familiar? There’s something incredibly sad about it. You give him a little wave goodbye.

You walk up to Angie. They see you and they smile widely. Creeped out, just a little, you clear your throat.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” 

“What, what? Asking me a question while I’m meditating?” they throw their arms into the air, “Do you wish to be enlightened by God’s divine spirit?”

“Um... not really. I just wanted to ask... where were you last night?”

They put their hands to their hips, “Last night? I stayed up until almost daytime watching the dorms.”

You blink. Dumbstruck. “Why?”

“As God’s prophet, I like to take nighttime shifts so that He may rest and remain benevolent by day! Plus, watching people come and go gives me inspiration for my next website idea.”

That...

_ Really? Maybe this will get solved a lot faster than I expected! _

“Could you tell me what you saw last night? Like who left and came out? Did you see anything suspicious?” 

“Let’s see...” they tap a finger to their bottom lip, “I can’t remember everyone I saw but I know I saw Kaito go into Kokichi’s room and then come out again. I had it all drawn up. I could go retrieve it if you’d like.”

“That would be great. Thank you.”

Angie smiles and once Tenko is finished answering questions, the two of them make their way to the dorms.

Tsumugi sighs, “Kirumi was jamming in her Ultimate lab until three in the morning but didn’t see Kokichi last night or yesterday. Tenko didn’t see Kokichi at all yesterday. Well, apart from when he was being annoying in the morning. Seems like they aren’t a lead. Sorry.”

“Why are you apologising?” you ask.

“Huh?”

“Why would you say sorry for something that’s not your fault? If two people aren’t a lead, that’s not your problem. You did what I asked and that’s all I needed so thank you.”

Her mouth forms a tight line, she bites on her bottom lip to hide a giggle. “Th-thank you.”

“For what?” you tilt your head.

“F-for taking pity on a wretch like me.”

“You’re not a wretch. You’re interesting and smart,” you shake your head, “listen, I could argue with you all day but we have work to do.”

“Yeah, w-we do.”

_ But where to start? _

It’s never really occurred to you that you would have to take on the role as the lead investigator up until now. The fact that you’ve never done anything close to this before makes you tense. The expectation of it all is getting to you. Why couldn’t you have been a mystery writer? Then again, that might mean you’d be more adjusted to dead bodies which is something you couldn’t imagine.

_ Kaede, focus, _ you tell yourself.

“Hey, Tsumugi?” you ask.

“Yes?” she replies.

“Where is the AV room?”

She blinks for a moment. “It’s... in the game room. Why?”

“If Kokichi was found in the basement, I think we should also check every room in the basement. I want to make sure we don’t miss out on anything important.”

She shrugs and leads you out of the library and into the game room. God, this room is just as lurid as you remembered. She leads you through it and to the sliding door at the back. She opens it and lets you step through.

To your surprise, and relief, the AV room has a much more dull colour pallet. Shelves of DVDs, VHS tapes and film reels line the left and right walls. The far back has a projector screen hanging from the wall with two couches turned facing it and a projector from the ceiling. Blue lights dimly pulse from the corner of the room.

“Voila, the AV room,” Tsumugi smile, vaguely gesturing to it.

You begin to investigate the room. The shelves and speakers and such don’t look very suspicious but it’s what you find near the screen that’s the most interesting. Something has dried in the carpet in a strangely rectangular arrangement. You crouch down to get a closer look. Tracing a finger over it proves it’s not entirely solid but it was more liquidy before now. You can’t see too well in this lighting but judging by the dark colour and what happened to Kokichi, you’re inclined to believe this is blood.

“Find anything?” Tsumugi asks.

You nod, “There’s something stained in the carpet.”

She walks up to you and looks over your shoulder. “Oh dear.”

“Yeah.”

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Stain In AV Room” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

After standing up, you look to your right. There’s another sliding door that leads into the hallway. What’s more interesting is that you can see the library’s sliding door from this room, directly across the hall. It’d be pretty easy to get from here to the library. Given the blood stains, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to think this room is related in some way.

You stand up from your spot. You scan the middle area to see nothing suspicious. 

“Is that everything?” Tsumugi asks.

You shake your head, “No, not yet. Give me a moment.”

You circle around the room, trailing your fingers along the shelves and DVD boxes. Dust collects on your fingers, even more from the VHS tapes. The labels are torn and the black handwritten pen is smudged.

Your foot catches something in the corner close to the game room. You kick it. It’s heavy and thick. You look down at it. The surface reflects the blue light but it’s very dull. When you step on it, it’s soft and cushioning.

“Is this a gym mat?” you ask yourself, “What’s it doing in here?”

Tsumugi walks up behind you and looks over your shoulder. “Whoa, I didn’t notice that before.”

You crouch down. With one hand, you try to lift the mat but it’s stuck. Not solid stuck where you aren’t physically strong enough but... sticky stuck. As if someone glued it to the floor. Or both sides are covered in velcro. You peel off the corner of the mat and lower your head to peer through the small gap. Pinky red clings to the mat you’re lifting and the floor underneath it.

“Oh my God, that’s disgusting,” you comment.

Tsumugi walks beside you and crouches to see it too. She looks for a moment and then cringes. She raises her hands closer to her face.

“Gross.”

You slowly peel the rest of the mat off, not helped by the gross noises that come with it. It’s like a sucking sound mixed with undoing scotch tape except you think this is blood which makes it worse. You can’t flip this over on your own. You give Tsumugi a look. Through a clenched jaw, she takes the other corner between her fingers and pulls it up with you.

You both flip it over and let it fall to the floor, bloody side up. Splatters and pools of red, brown and pink greet your miserable eyes. Though blood smells of iron, it’s indescribable how rotten this mat smells. You’re barely a centimetre away and that’s all it takes to feel pain from a scent. Despite how cool the mat felt between your fingers, the smell is warm. You have to hold your breath to keep your stomach acid from rising up.

You... don’t want to look at this anymore. You turn to Tsumugi.

“Think this is evidence?”

“D-definitely.”

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Bloody Gym Mat” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

You think you should check on the people who aren’t in the basement. Since Maki, Ryoma, Kiyo and Himiko are all on the first floor, you think you should go check on them. You’re not sure where Miu and Rantaro went but they’re probably not too far away.

You exit the library, quickly make it through the hall and up the dizzy stairs. You shudder but don’t pay too much mind to it this time. 

You’re about to turn the corner when something catches your eye. Spilt on the ground is a collection of large paint splatters and foot prints. Green, blue, black and white in particular. 

_ Right, I saw this before while walking with Angie. _

It’s no less stranger than when you first saw it but... it could mean something now.

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Paint On Ground” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

With Tsumugi close behind, you make it to the dining hall.

Himiko is sitting on the table. Not _ at _ it, _ on _ it. She leans back on her arms and stares blankly at the ceiling. You walk up to her.

“Hey, Himiko,” you wave around to make sure she’s still awake.

She snorts and blinks rapidly. “Wha... what are you doing here?”

“We’re collecting alibis!” Tsumugi says.

“We’d just like to ask a few questions about where you were last night,” you add.

Himiko rubs her eyes, “Okay, sure.”

You wait. She shuffles closer toward the edge of the table so her legs swing from it. She looks at you. Drowsy. She hasn’t answered your question yet.

“Um... so where were you last night?”

“Oh. I was in my room. Then I got up to go get more paint. I think... Kokichi was there? I dunno, could be wrong. I was tired.” She yawns into her hand. Her speech slows down. “Anyway, I walked someone near the bathroom and then we split off. I was looking around for more paintbrushes when Kirumi came in. I thought I heard someone outside and then next door so they might’ve gone to the warehouse but I was already carrying too much paint and just wanted to finish my project and didn’t really care. After I left, Miu ran into me and I dropped my stuff so I didn’t see where she went. Did that help?”

You fold your arms. “So you think you walked with Kokichi to the school store and also saw Kirumi. Do you remember what time this was?”

“Like... one in the morning? Maybe? I don’t like checking the clock ‘cause it reminds me that I’m probably killing my brain cells.”

“A proper amount of sleep is always better for your projects as well as your mental health,” you say.

“Yeah but I’m also the Ultimate Artist so..” she shrugs, not really having a way to close that sentence. 

Some of her pieces are truly breathtaking but you’re scared that she made them while stuck in a bad habit. It works but at what cost? You wish you could help her with that.

But for now, you have a new lead. It’s a bit loose but it’s something. Himiko maybe saw Kokichi and last met him at roughly two in the morning. It’s a start. You’ll probably know more when Angie comes back with whatever it is Angie drew on. 

“Wait,” Himiko sits up a little, “I saw Kaito come out of Kokichi’s room but that was it.”

_ So that’s two people who saw Kaito at Kokichi’s dorm. What exactly was he doing there? And he didn’t go to the library. Why is Kokichi in the library? _

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Himiko’s Account” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

“Are you collecting alibis?” Kiyo asks, coming out of the kitchen.

You nod. “Yup. I’d like to ask you where you were last night.”

“I was asleep until six and then I woke up and went to the bathroom for my morning routine.”

“What could you need two hours for in a morning routine?” you ask.

They look away for a moment, “I may be a biker gang leader but I still have an image to uphold.”

You’re about to ask more when you take a closer look at their eyes. Beautiful as they are, they only look more emphasised because of their thick lashes. Their eyebrows look different in some parts like they aren’t quite real. Then there’s the flowing hair that probably takes ages to comb and looks really silky.

_ Yeah, I can see that. _

“You know, you have no proof that I was in the bathroom. I could be lying for all you know,” they add.

“Huh?”

“Words can be empty if there is only one person saying them. Trust too easily and you may be misled.”

You point at them, “I thought you said you believed in us trusting each other and being friends.”

“I believe in that sort of dream, yes,” they fold their arms in front of their chest, “but in order to survive, one learns to put aside their dream for a greater cause. We said we would get out alive, did we not?”

You don’t feel so assertive anymore. 

_ Has everyone been lying to me? Is Kaito really the killer? _

Can you really trust anyone?

“Kaede, are you alright?” Tsumugi asks.

You shake your head, “I’m fine.”

She can probably sense your lie but she doesn’t say anything else about it. “Should we check up on Maki and Ryoma?”

You nod.

You walk out of the dining hall and walk across the hallway to the warehouse. Tsumugi is about to open the door when you stop her. You look down. The grass close to the warehouse is an ugly pink. Little splats of reddish-pink nearby like it had fallen from above. You crouch down and touch a finger to a strand. It’s dried, flaky, a little sticky and thin. You rub your finger against your thumb to get it off.

“It’s blood,” you say, “dried blood.”

“What makes you so certain?” Tsumugi asks.

“I... don’t know.”

...

Actually, this reminds you of the time you saw a kid have a nose bleed in class and the teacher was gone. The whole class freaked out while you told her to go to the nurse’s office. Probably third grade. You remember how frightened everyone was from a little blood. It was gross when it dried. You kind of feel bad for the person who had to clean that up the next morning. But it looks exactly like this.

“Do you think it could be Kokichi’s?” she suggests.

“Unless someone says they injured themselves here last night, I think it might be.”

“Hm, the plot thickens,” she taps her finger against her chin.

You think she’s enjoying this a little too much.

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Dried Blood” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

You walk inside the warehouse and hold the door open for Tsumugi. Ryoma is sitting on the floor, idly chewing at a candy cigarette while Maki rummages around the gym equipment in the middle. She hears the door click and turns her head over her shoulder.

“What do you two want?” she asks.

“We’re investigating like everyone else,” you say.

She turns back around to look through the shot put balls.

“Don’t worry about her, she hasn’t talked to me all morning,” Ryoma says, taking another bite.

You step more into the room, “Shouldn’t you be investigating together?”

“I don’t need help,” Maki calls.

You look down at the floor. There’s more reddish-pink patches on the ground, splattered in the middle of the room. You cringe.

**Truth Bullet “Dried Blood” has been updated in your Monopad.**

Tsumugi walks up to Ryoma and starts asking him questions. You approach Maki but keep out of her way as she shifts things around. She stops. She something out of the box and looks over it. 

“What is it?” you ask.

She turns to face you, pinching something between her fingers. It’s a thick clump of hair. It’s curled, dark and it has purple streaks dyed on the ends. Maki looks at you.

“Evidence,” she says, “and a lot of questions.”

“Do you think a shot put ball is the murder weapon?”

She shrugs, “Don’t think so but it’s a possibility.” 

Ryoma calls from the floor, “The Monopad says he was impaled by something. A shot put ball would crush, not impale.”

“So you actually trust the Monopad?” Maki asks, slightly disgusted.

“It’s a pretty accurate report,” Tsumugi says.

Maki throws up her eyebrows and looks away as if to say _Alright, I guess_.

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Clump Of Hair” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

“But what should we do with the evidence?” you ask. 

Up until now, you’ve just been looking at things and then leaving them where they are. Something important and physical like this should bagged but you don’t have any bags.

“Ryoma and Tsumugi, can you two go to the school store and find a plastic bag to put this in?” you ask.

Ryoma shrugs and then stands up. “Sure, got nothing better to do.”

“We’ll be back in no time!” Tsumugi cheers. 

The two walk out of the warehouse leaving you and Maki alone. You look over at her. You think she might be impressed. Or indifferent. Her face is a little hard to read.

“While we’re waiting, you should look around more,” she says.

You agree and continue investigating the gym stuff. 

There’s something yellow sticking out underneath the pile of gym mats. You crouch down and pinch it. It’s a fairly light fabric, not in the best condition. It’s a little worn out. It’s familiar. You push the mats off of the fabric and take a closer look. 

It seems to be some kind of cardigan. There are splatters and big clumps of colour around it, you wonder if Himiko was involved in that. Underneath it, a pair of sandals. The front parts are also splattered with colour while the backs remain blank.

“These are Kokichi’s,” you say, holding it up, “but they've got paint all over them.”

Maki looks down at it. “That’s weird.”

“I know. Did they have a paint fight or something last night?”

She places her other hand on her hip, “Not that. Wasn’t Kokichi stabbed in the back? That’s where the blood is on his shirt.”

You look at the back of the cardigan. You have to scan it to decipher what is paint and what is not. You end up laying it on the ground and touching the clumps to feel if it’s acrylic or not. As far as you can tell, there are no blood stains. You flip it over to the front. Pinky stains along the opens ends. The splatters on the back are from the inside. There are also two blank squares on the cardigan, roughly the size of the sandals.

_ Was he wearing this backwards? No, that doesn’t make sense either. _

“Stranger still,” you mumble, “why are these in the warehouse and not with Kokichi?”

She hums and looks away.

_ Strange indeed... _

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Kokichi’s Cardigan” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Kokichi’s Sandals” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

You consider shoving the evidence into your bag but don’t. It feels... wrong. Maybe it’s because of the blood or that it belonged to a dead guy. You decide to lay it on a shelf and come back to it later. You come back to the gym mats. You figure that it can’t hurt to keep looking at them if there was evidence underneath them, right? 

Maki, probably tired of holding up a clump of hair, starts poking at the javelin poles. 

You peel off the top mat from the stack. Thankfully, this one does not stick to the one underneath it. You sigh with relief.

You look down at the box of remote helicopters.

_ That reminds me... _

“Didn’t you say that you wanted to use a remote helicopter to make a floor plan?”

She picks up a pole from the stand. “I was but then I thought it would take too long and be a waste of time. I was curious about the weird bookcase that opened up more than anything else.”

“Fair enough,” you say.

“Actually, now that you’re here,” she angles the pole as if she were about to throw it, “what were you and Kibou doing in the library? Did you know about the bookcase?”

You pause. This will probably be a bit difficult to explain. You collect yourself and crouch near the remote helicopters.

“We knew about it before today, yeah. The reason we were there was to set up a trap.”

She cocks a brow, “Why would you need to do that?”

“We thought... since there was a black and white door and Monokuma clearly didn’t use it when he came and went, someone else would be using it. Like... a mastermind, I guess.”

She suddenly points the pole down. It’s right in front of your face. She glares with unmatched intensity.

“If I find them, I will shred their skin open and gut them.”

Your heart is in your ears. She stares down with murder in her eyes. The sharp tip is inches away from your neck. Her breathing is steady. 

Her lips part for a second but she doesn’t speak. Something shifts in her face. Is it realisation? Fear? The javelin shifts in her grip. You shuffle back and get a better look of it. It’s long and sharp, it could go through ten throats and still have some left at the tip.

The tip of the...

You see something faint smeared along the end pointed toward you. Just like the mat, sickly reddish-pink.

“M-Maki, this has blood on it,” you say.

She looks down at the end pointed to you.

The doors to the warehouse open. “We’ve got the...”

“Maki, put down the javelin,” Ryoma says.

Maki swings the javelin away from your face and tilts it so it’s vertical. “Sure. Give me the bag. I’m sick of holding some dead guy’s hair.”

“W-what was going on? Why were you even pointing that thing at Kaede?” Tsumugi stutters.

Maki looks away. She doesn’t look ready to answer that question. You stand up. She shoves the pole into your hand, snatches the bag and throws the hair into it. She tucks the bag into her pocket.

You tilt the javelin pole away from you so you can look at the bottom end. It reaches about a quarter of the pole. Must have been stabbed pretty deep.

_ Is this really the murder weapon? _ You think to yourself, _ That’s one hell of a coincidence. _

...

Be that as it may, you think the case is starting to come together.

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Javelin Pole” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

You don’t know what to do with this pole. You could leave it with the cardigan. You stare wistfully at the evidence. The cardigan that once belonged to a lively boy, an annoying one but an alive one. He tried to divert your attention from the cage by mocking and jokes. He saved Kaito from the Exisal and stood up for you when things were tough. 

_ It’s been five days. _

That grin that spread wide on his face even when he was just messing with you. His laugh echoes through your head like a forgotten song creeping itself out of the subconscious. 

In hindsight, maybe you should’ve just told him your plan. Maybe he could’ve helped and moved things along faster. Maybe he wouldn’t have been killed. Maybe no-one had to die. Maybe the guilt would stop. Maybe you would all escape and be alive and happy instead of being stuck in this blood-soaked hell-hole trying to decide who will die next. Maybe you wouldn’t be on the verge of a mental fucking breakdown in front of three other people while holding the weapon that killed your friend. 

Tsumugi steps toward you. “Kaede?”

“I’m fine.”

You rest the pole against the shelf holding the cardigan. Tsumugi and Ryoma watch as you stare down at the cloth, tracing a hand over the four crosses you hadn’t noticed until now. Loosely sewn in, you wonder if he did them himself. They look like shoelaces. There’s a faint line down the back. It’s a tear. He probably didn’t have a lot of money if this is what he used to keep his clothes together. 

_ He was just a child, how could he know any better? _

You feel a small tug on your sleeve. You look down to see Ryoma standing by you. He digs through his box and hands you a candy cigarette. It’s brown, it looks like it’s chocolate flavoured.

“I’m not good with consulting people but candy usually makes me feel better,” he says.

You hold it between your fingers like one of those classy women from old movies. She’d have a ruthless heart and red, puckered lips. Some man would stroll into the bar while her legs crossed over themselves, a look of amusement on her face.

“Thank you,” you say and stick it between your teeth. A small bit of wafer cracks and falls onto your tongue. Once you start chewing, you can confirm that it really is chocolate flavour. Dark chocolate, specifically. You sink your teeth fully into the cigarette. Seems the best way to keep you going is using tiny distractions. 

“Do you think we should go find Angie? They should be back by now,” Tsumugi asks.

You nod, “Yeah, let’s go.”

Maki and Ryoma call “See you,” as you step out of the warehouse. You take another bite of the cigar.

You make your way to the stairs. You take another bite. You open the door to the library and step inside. Kaito, Gonta and Kibou are exactly where you left them, and Shuichi is sitting beside a stack of books with Kirumi pacing around nearby. She’s wiping off the mascara from her face with a cloth. Tenko sits near the door with her legs crossed and her hands forming a circle shape. She’s meditating. Angie lies on the floor holding a large sheet of paper above them.

When the door clicks, Angie looks away from the sheet. They roll onto their knees and bounce to their feet.

“Heya! I’ve found my chart!”

You pump your fists, “Great! Let’s see it then.”

They hop closer and lean a little too closely to you.

“Did you use different colours for every person?” you ask.

“Yup, yup! Sixteen markers plus a black one. I like to be organised.”

Angie begins to go into detail about how the night went, pointing to each point in time as they explain it.

“I started recording data at around 10 P.M, just after the nighttime announcement went off. 

“The first person to come out of their room was Kaito at 11:00 P.M. He knocked on Kokichi’s door and was let inside. 

“Tsumugi left the dorms at 12:35. She seemed to be carrying something pink. Then Kibou left at 12:38. Not long afterwards, at 12:51, Kokichi and Kaito left Kokichi’s room and Himiko left their room at the same time. Kaito went back to his own room while Kokichi and Himiko had a small conversation about something or other and then walked off together.”

“Miu came out at 12:56 and called me a creep before storming off to the bathroom. Rantaro left his room shortly afterwards.

“It was largely quiet until 1:12 when Himiko came back holding a huge pile of paint. I think she spilt it on herself because she had some on her clothes. 

“At 1:37, Miu came back to the dorms, called me a creep again and went back into her room.

“Nothing happened for at least another two hours until both Kirumi and Shuichi came into the dorms at 3:03 and then both Rantaro and Maki came back at 3:10.

“Kibou returned to the dorms at 3:38 and noticed me. He looked really shifty and suspicious when he went back into his room. Lots of looking around, checking for something.

“Tsumugi came back at 3:55.

“Nobody moved until Kiyo left at 6:00 carrying some makeup and other things and came back just before the morning announcement played. That’s when I packed up and went outside.”

“But Kokichi never came back?” you ask.

Angie shakes their head, “Nope.”

You take another bite of the cigar. This is... a lot to take in. First of all, Kaito went _ into _ Kokichi’s room? What were they doing together?

_ Focus, there are more important things to take in. _ _ I’ll need to ask Kibou what he was doing. _

“This was really helpful, thank you,” you say with a smile.

“Praise be to God for guiding us to the culprit!” They lean closer and start to whisper, “So who do you think the culprit is?”

“I... I don’t know.”

“Aww... that’s a shame. Guess we’ll have to weed it out of you during the trial!”

Angie’s overwhelming energy both confuses and worries you. Some part of you knows you shouldn’t feel this guilty about Kokichi’s death, the other is glad you’re not an endless ball of enthusiasm (as helpful as they’ve proven to be.)

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Angie’s Account” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

You wonder where Miu and Rantaro have run off to. You hope they’re actually investigating and not just hanging around somewhere. You wonder what they could be talking about. 

Ding dong, bing bong.

The monitor speakers crackle. Everyone in the library turns their head to look at the screen.

“Alright! It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for—” Monokuma rubs his paws together— “the class trial! Now then, please assemble in front of the Shrine of Judgement in the courtyard.”

Kirumi flicks her cloth and shoves it into a sewn-on pocket. “The what now?”

“Y’know the red door surrounded by plants outside and down the stairs? Yeah, it’s in there. You’ll be taken to the class trial from that place,” says Monokuma. He laughs maniacally before the screen turns off.

Gonta starts to shake, “T-time already?!”

“Seems like it. Alright, let’s haul our asses out of here,” Kirumi sighs.

Tsumugi shuffles closer to you. “I... I really don’t want to go.”

“Neither do I,” you take in a deep breath to calm yourself, “but it’s what we have to do. We’re going to get out of here soon.”

“That’s right,” Kibou says, now standing at your other side. He smiles with determination.

Tenko stands from her spot, “I just hope this is over soon, stress isn’t good for a woman’s mind or body.”

“I-I don’t think that’s just limited t-to women,” Shuichi mutters.

You, Kibou and Tsumugi walk out the library door together. You consider taking out the Monopad and racing ahead but... last time you did that, you felt like you missed something important. That could’ve been someone asking you something or finding the final clue to the mystery. You don’t think you can take that chance again.

It does, however, mean that the walk is a lot longer. You take a small nibble of the cigar when going up the stairs. Kibou asks where you got it from and you say Ryoma. You offer it to him but he declines. 

Tsumugi rambles on about how scared she is about the trial and then starts listing all the bits of media she knows that has a court case in them. She then notes how she’s watched a couple of videos made by lawyers who thought the trials were unrealistic. She wishes she could recall them all now so she’d have some clue as to what she’s doing. 

“Hey, Kaede?” Kibou says, resting a hand on your shoulder. He retracts it as soon as you turn your head.

“Hm?”

He looks away. “I... this probably may be a bit out of my boundaries but I was wondering if you wanted... something.”

Curiosity rises as he opens one of his vest pockets and pulls something out. It’s a beaded bracelet. White orbs chained together by a thick piece of string. It’s familiar.

“Is that Kokichi’s?” you solemnly ask.

“Yes, I wondered if we should keep it as a memento. I doubt Monokuma will let us see him again after the trial.” 

He reaches it out to you with an open palm. You consider it for a moment. A pretty cheap looking bracelet shouldn’t be making you feel so much and so empty and yet here it does. When you don’t take it, Kibou looks away and reels his arm back.

You take his hand with both of yours. With one, you rest it under his knuckles. With the other, you carefully take the bracelet from him. “Thank you,” you say, just above a whisper.

He smiles, it’s small.

You let go of his hand and slip the bracelet onto your right wrist.

Miu and Rantaro finally join the group. Rantaro looks so emotionally drained, he can’t even put on his fancy accent when you ask if he’s okay. Miu, however, remains unfazed. You ask the two if they actually investigated anything. Rantaro says the only thing he did was participate in the most awful, most tragic, most draining conversation in human history. You can’t help but laugh.

“Actually, can I ask you some questions?” Tsumugi says to Rantaro.

“Sure, anything. As long as it’s not about Miu,” he says. He sounds hollow.

“From last night to this morning, can you tell me what you did? We’re collecting alibis.”

Rantaro looks away to think. “Last night, I stayed in my room and slept. Before the announcement went off, I went to go ask Maki about something.” 

“What about?” Tsumugi asks.

“It’s... personal. Anyway, this morning, I got up late and went to talk to Maki again. We were together until the announcement went off.”

_ So that gives Rantaro an alibi then, _ you think, _ finally, something stable. _

**Obtained Truth Bullet!**

**“Rantaro’s Account” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad.**

Ryoma checks up on you when he joins the group. You tell him you’re okay. Maki quickly apologises for pointing a javelin at your neck and you tell her that’s fine too. You notice Kiyo and Himiko silently joining in behind you.

It’s reassuring, the tension rises from your shoulders a little bit. With Kibou and Tsumugi with you, you feel like you can do anything. With the whole class on your side, you could dominate the world. Except for the stairs. You nibble on the cigar when you go down the courtyard stairs.

You all reach the red door in the courtyard. You remember the small argument you had with Kokichi here. It makes you flinch when you reach for the door handle.

“Kaede?” Kibou’s voice is soft and quiet, “It’s okay, we’re all right behind you.”

“Well, literally,” Tsumugi adds with a smile.

“I know,” you say.

If Miu didn’t have a hand slapped over her mouth, she would be yelling for you to get on with it. Maki seems to be more patient than before. When you look her in the eyes, she gives you a stern nod.

_ Yeah, we’re in this together. _

You open the door and step inside. Kibou holds the door open for everyone, a few quiet thank you’s echo behind you. Maki’s hand falls from Miu’s mouth but surprisingly, she’s found herself speechless. 

This room. You remember the waterfall splashing down and smelling the blooming flowers the first day you came here. The aroma, the sound, the taste of moist air already brings your heart to a slow, calm beat.

You don’t remember there being a statue in the middle of the fountain. You get closer to get a better look. It’s um... well, it sure is a statue. One of those muscly, detailed, marble sculptures you would see in a Greek museum (the only difference being that the privates are covered up by marble cloth) with Monokuma’s head serving as... the head. The contrast between the detailed masculine form and the cartoon-ish bear head is a little jarring. It’s holding up some kind of goblet between both of its hands. 

Himiko stares at the statue with some kind of artistic analysis. You assume that anyway. She could be just as confused but just hiding it better.

“This is the shrine of judgement?” Kaito asks. He hasn’t had the chance to gauge his volume so some people jump.

“It’s very beautiful, minus the statue,” Tenko says.

“Yeah, I guess,” Kirumi adds. 

_ Finally, they’ve agreed on something. _

Gonta moves with slight unease, “If bad thing happens, Gonta will protect.”

Shuichi shuffles closer toward you, “Sh-shouldn’t we b-be taken somewhere by n-now?”

“What? I thought the class trial was happening here,” Kaito says.

“I-I could be wrong but... the way M-Monokuma phrased it made i-it seem like we would be... elsewhere. Wh-what do you think?”

You fold your arms, “Why are you asking me?”

He brings his knees together, “Y-you always look m-more sure.”

_ Do I? _

Some boots clack against the floor. You turn to see Kirumi digging through the flowerbeds and picking out rocks.

“What are you doing?” Kiyo asks.

Kirumi stomps to the fountain, you and Shuichi step away from her. “I hate waiting! If he’s gonna make such a big deal about this stupid trial, he shouldn’t also keep us around forever.”

She takes a short run-up and hurls a rock at the statue. It hits the black ear, a chunk falls into the fountain with a deep splash.

No-one says a word. Kirumi prepares to throw another rock. 

The ground starts to shake. Kirumi stumbles but stays on her feet. 

“Earthquake! Get down!” Tsumugi screams.

Kibou holds onto Tsumugi’s arm before she can dive to the floor. He holds up a finger, telling everyone to wait.

The Monokuma statue begins to creak. The arms move. There’s a little bit of tension as they push together. It shatters the goblet between its hands and the pieces fall into the water. The statue then descends into the fountain. The waterfall parts like a curtain to reveal a chain link gate. A platform pushes over the hole in the fountain and bridges that gap between Kirumi and the gate. The rumbling finally stops.

You exhale sharply. The peacefulness of the room is long gone. You can feel Shuichi clinging onto your vest. Noticing this, he lets go and plays with his hair.

“What... was that?” Kaito asks after finding his bearings.

Nobody has an answer. Nobody moves.

Nobody except for Tenko.

Tenko slowly walks to the fountain, some step away to not get hit by her hair. She stops just beside Kirumi. They share eye contact for a few seconds. Tenko gracefully walks up the steps and across the bridge. She turns around to face the rest of the group. She pulls out a fan and covers the bottom part of her face.

“Freak,” Kirumi mutters to herself.

You can feel eyes on you. You turn your head to see that everyone is waiting for you. Somehow, everyone is convinced that you’re the only one who can make the next move. It’s nerve wracking.

“So... I guess this is where Monokuma wants us to go,” you say, awkwardly.

Himiko whines, “I don’t wanna go in there.” 

“N-neither do I,” Shuichi adds.

Maki grits her teeth, “This place gives me the creeps in the weirdest way. Like it’s making me more... angry.”

“You’re angry?” Kiyo asks.

She shakes her head. “It’s stupid, doesn’t matter. Let’s go.”

She stomps across the bridge and stands near Tenko.

“Nope, I’m staying behind,” Himiko decides.

“Yeah, fuck this! I’m not doing any class trial bullshit!” Miu shouts.

Rantaro’s face looks dead, dazed beyond life. “Is it because you’re afraid of contributing nothing?”

“What the fuck did you just say to me?”

He looks straight into her eyes, “During the investigation, you did nothing but rant to me about how amazing you are and how our wealth means we shouldn’t care for others’ lives. Tell me how you expect us to listen to anything you have to say when you put yourself above others based on inheritance and monetary worth?”

Miu begins to sweat, “Jeez, w-why are you so mean to me? I-I’ll stop, I swear!”

“Rantaro, I understand your frustration but please keep yourself together,” Kiyo says.

Rantaro stares off into space. His dead eyes shake slightly. Something isn’t right. You’re beginning to suspect he wasn’t exaggerating about how terrible the conversation was.

“This place seems to be doing something to everyone,” Tsumugi sighs.

“Maybe we shouldn’t go in,” Ryoma adds.

You shake your head, “No, we have to! We need to find justice for Kokichi’s death. We need to get out of here. We’re going to work together to escape.” Some sort of leaderly instinct kicks in your voice, “We’re going in!”

You step onto the bridge and make your way to Tenko and Maki. You turn around to see that no-one has moved.

Tsumugi is the first to follow you. She sticks her arms out for balance even though she has a lot of space to walk. Next comes Shuichi then Kirumi, Kaito, Ryoma, Kibou and everyone else. You let out a deep sigh of relief.

Once everyone reaches the other side, the gate parts to reveal an elevator. Tenko is the first to step inside. She stands right at the back and stares at everyone else. The fan covers her mouth.

You take the last bite of the cigar and step inside.


	9. This Class Trial, My Class Trial - Deadly Life II

The elevator shudders. As spacious as it may be, the claustrophobia kicks in as soon as the gate closes. It rumbles. It violently jumps up. Then it descends.

It’s slow at first but as it goes further down, it quickly picks up speed. Your stomach clings to your ribs. It’s nauseating. 

The rickety sounds from the elevator don’t make you feel any more calm. Like screeching train tracks, you fear the noise that would come from a sudden stop more than stopping itself. You try focusing on the dark chocolate wafer sitting between your teeth to calm your nerves. It’s rich and bitter and crunchy. 

...

You don’t feel any calmer.

Maki stands in the corner of the elevator. She’s mumbling about how it could probably use some oil, what kind of metal it’s made of, how much safer she could’ve made it. 

_ Is she the neighbourhood mechanic back where she’s from? _ you wonder.

You can hear Tenko whispering about deep breathing or somesuch. Angie stands beside her and prays. 

There’s a sinking feeling of guilt that seems to descend as quickly as the elevator. The chance that you may not return home. The chance that only one person will go back to their home. You can’t imagine how worried your combined families would be about sixteen missing teenagers never making it out alive. 

How is your mother doing? You don’t know. You wish you called her more often.

...

You’ve run out of chocolate wafer. Now it’s just you swallowing your own flavoured spit. Home has never felt so far away. Under the surface and deep into the Earth is a much lonelier place than being stuck on the ground. You wish there was some grass.

The elevator begins to slow down. The racket calms down along with it. After what feels like forever, the elevator slows to a halt. The gate slowly opens to reveal the room waiting on the other side.

The first things to catch your eye are the stained glass windows around the walls. Perfectly hexagonal, tessellated windows shining in light from... outside?

_ How is that possible? Aren’t we far underground? _

There’s probably some reasonable explanation to this but you can’t find one right now.

“Welcome to the class trial courtroom!” the Monokubs cheer from an elevated chair.

“Ooh, I’m so excited! The best part of the game is finally happening!” Monotaro grins.

“Aight, listen up you bastards- from now on, things are only gonna get super violent and gruesome so try to keep your guts in your person at all times,” Monsuke says.

Monophanie squeaks in surprise, “N-no, no violence here. No gory or v-violent scenes, I’m positive.” 

“This doesn’t look anything like a real courtroom,” Tsumugi mumbles, disappointedly.

You have to agree with her. It looks too... blue. And sci-fi. There are sixteen podiums forming a ring in the middle of the room on circle steps. The judge’s seat doesn’t have a table, it’s just a really tall platform with a chair at the top. There isn’t even a place where the hypothetical jury would sit. 

Then again, your understanding of courts and trials mostly comes from T.V dramas.

“This looks too extra to be taken seriously,” Maki comments, “there’s a fancy courtroom and then there’s ridiculous.”

“I do have to wonder who designed such a place,” Kiyo adds.

“Maybe the point is to make it entertaining, not accurate,” Ryoma says.

Kirumi puts her fists to her waist, “This is supposed to be entertaining? For who? How’s watching a bunch of teens argue over who killed someone supposed to be fun?”

“Actually, I think if this wasn’t happening to me in real life, that would make for a pretty good show,” Tsumugi says.

Monokuma bounces into the judge’s chair. “Correct! Shoving strangers into a live-or-death game is the greatest entertainment known to man! Or bear, in this case.”

“How disgusting,” Rantaro says with a clenched jaw.

“Doesn’t matter how disgusting I am, people who have fun are the people going far in life! Who cares about social constructs and what’s right and wrong as long as you’re having fun?”

Miu stomps her boots and scowls, “Hey, quit yabberin’ and tell us how to get started already. Don’t waste my fucking time.”

Monokuma shoots her a look but sits back in his chair. “There are podiums in the middle. Stand behind the one with your name on it.”

You stare at the podiums. There are screens in them with names written in white text. You look around. Miu circles the podiums like a predator until she finds hers. Tenko finds hers with more grace. Everyone else does the same. You stand behind your podium with Gonta on your right and Himiko on your left. And on Himiko’s left... sits a portrait of Kokichi’s face.

You can still see his body falling from the bookcase and just in front of Kibou’s feet. When Kibou turned him to the side and you could see his face. It was nothing short of excruciating. His face from the portrait shows him smiling in that way he did when you first met him. Small and childish. He died too young.

No... He was murdered. Some horrible, disgusting person murdered him. You want to believe in everyone but...

_ Maybe if you actually believed in everyone, you wouldn’t have to worry about that at all. _

...

His words still stick to you. You don’t know what they mean to you now but you want to cling onto them anyway. You don’t want to doubt but you can’t find yourself believing either. 

...

To honour him, you’re going to do your best. That’s all there is left.

You will face this life-or-death game.

**Truth Bullets**

\--> _Monokuma File 1_

_ The victim’s body was discovered in the library. _

_ The victim was killed by a fatal impaling to the heart resulting in loss of blood flow and death in seconds. Additionally, he was subjected to blunt force trauma to the back of the skull. _

\--> _School Regulations_

_The rules state that a body discovery announcement will play when three or more people first discover a body._

\--> _Kibou’s Autopsy_

_According to Kibou, Kokichi had been dead for longer than six hours._

\--> _No Blood_

_While investigating the library, you, Tsumugi and Kibou noticed there was no blood anywhere._

\--> _Backwards Shirt_

_While investigating the body, Shuichi pointed out that the shirt appears to be the wrong way around. Does this mean something?_

\--> _Stain In AV Room_

_In the AV room, there appears to be a rectangular print of blood stains near the projector and the hallway sliding door._

\--> _Bloody Gym Mat_

_While investigating the AV room, you and Tsumugi found a gym mat soaked in blood stuck to the floor._

\--> _Paint on Ground_

_You came across a large splatter of paint while turning the corner leading to the dining hall. The colours are blue, green, black and white._

\--> _Himiko’s Account_

_Himiko was in the school store for about 20 minutes last night. During that time, Kirumi also came into the store. She also ran into Miu but Himiko didn’t see where she went afterwards._

> _Dried Blood_

_There’s some dried blood just outside of the warehouse. It seems to have fallen from above. There is also some blood sprayed inside of the warehouse._

\--> _Kokichi’s Cardigan_

_Kokichi’s cardigan was found under the gym mats in the warehouse. It looks like a lot of paint was spilled on it but there is also some splatters of blood on the front._

\--> _Kokichi’s Sandals_

_Kokichi’s sandals were found under the gym mats in the warehouse. The straps and toes of the sandals have blood and paint splattered on them while the underside remains spotless._

\--> _Clump of Hair_

_There was a clump of hair hiding at the bottom of the box of shot put balls. Its dark purple and wavy. You have reason to suspect it’s Kokichi’s hair._

\--> _Javelin Pole_

_While investigating the warehouse, Maki found a javelin pole with blood stained at the tip. This is most likely the murder weapon._

\--> _Angie’s Account_

_Angie had stayed up all night to record who came in and out of the dorms._

_Kaito came out at 11:00 P.M. He knocked on Kokichi’s door and was let inside. _

_Tsumugi left the dorms at 12:35. She seemed to be carrying something pink. _

_Kibou left at 12:38. _

_Kokichi and Kaito left Kokichi’s room and Himiko left their room at 12:51, Kaito went back to his own room while Kokichi and Himiko walked off together._

_Miu came out at 12:56 and Rantaro left his room shortly afterwards._

_Himiko came back holding a huge pile of paint at 1:12. _

_Miu came back to the dorms at 1:37._

_Kirumi and Shuichi came into the dorms at 3:03. _

_Rantaro and Maki came back at 3:10._

_Kibou returned to the dorms at 3:38._

_Tsumugi came back at 3:55._

_Kiyo left the dorm at 6:00 and came back just before the morning announcement played._

_Kokichi never came back to the dorms._

\--> _Rantaro’s Account_

_Rantaro claims that he was with Maki for a majority of last night and this morning._

\--> _Tsumugi’s Account_

_Tsumugi claims that she was in the basement this morning, shortly before the body discovery announcement._

**Class trial: In session**

Monokuma clears his throat. “Now then, let’s begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! During the trial you’ll present your arguments for who the culprit is and vote for “whodunnit.” Vote correctly and only the blackened will be punished. But if you pick the wrong person...” he smiles widely, “I’ll punish everyone_ besides _ the blackened and that person will graduate from this academy!”

Shuichi raises his hand, “B-but, what if-”

“Also, refusing to vote will result in your death so you have to vote for someone.”

Shuichi lowers his hand and looks down.

“Now, let’s get this crazy, awesome, crazy awesome trial underway!”

“So... it’s starting?” you say. You could really go for another candy cigar right now.

“Alright, does anyone have any experience with being in a trial?” Tsumugi asks.

“Considering how old we are, why would we?” Ryoma says.

“I do.”

All heads turn to Himiko.

“Y-you have?” Shuichi stutters.

She yawns into her hand, “No, I was just kidding. I just thought it would be a good way to start.”

The looks fall off from her. It is kind of nice to have someone not taking it as seriously. Still, you wish you weren’t here at all. The silence afterwards is kind of awkward.

You decide to speak up. “Before we bring in any topics, I think Kibou and I need to clarify something.”

You look over to Kibou. He gives you an affirming nod.

“When we discovered the body, we had a plan to try and stop the killing game. A trap, I guess.”

“Trap?” Ryoma repeats.

“A couple of days before the murder, Kaede and I had stumbled across the moving bookcase in the library,” Kibou explains, “using the information we had, we came to the conclusion that there was a secret mastermind hiding among us. Someone who was co-operating with Monokuma.”

“So we decided to wait until the last minute when they would go to the hidden entrance and then stop them.” You look over to Maki, “But to make sure we wouldn’t be spotted, we asked Maki to modify some cameras and sensors to set up.”

“So that’s what they were for,” she sighs.

“But... by the time we were ready to set everything up, Kokichi was already dead,” you say.

“I see, that would explain why you two were down there in the first place,” Kiyo nods.

Nobody really says anything else. You and Kibou are done and there really isn’t anything else to say on the matter. It’s too quiet.

Kaito clears his throat, attracting everyone’s attention. “So... what are we supposed to do now?”

“We’re going to continue this discussion after we meditate. First, we breathe in. And then breathe out. Then we remember what we mustn't do.” Tenko says. “We do not push, we do not run, we do not shout.”

“How the hell are you still so calm about this? Someone literally died and now our lives are on the line!” Kirumi shouts.

Tenko glares with quiet rage, “What did I say about not shouting?”

“We shouldn’t worry too much about how we should do this, particularly because this isn’t a normal trial. After all, we’re all serving as our own culprit, lawyer, prosecutor and jury,” says Rantaro.

Kiyo folds their arms in front of their chest. “With that in mind, may I offer the first topic?”

“I don’t see why not,” you say, “go ahead.”

“There was something about this case that seemed rather curious. With the introduction of the First Blood Perk, it only makes me wonder why a killer _ wouldn’t _ take advantage of it.”

Maki looks to the floor, “Maybe the freak just really wanted a trial.”

“Oh, you mean Monokuma?” Miu offers, pointing at the bear in question. “Yeah, bet that fucker killed him. Makes total sense too ‘cause he wanted this stupid trial in the first place.”

You shake your head, “No, the rules said he can’t directly cause a murder.”

“And you think he has any obligation to follow them?” Maki says.

“If Monokuma could simply kill us at any time, wouldn’t he have killed everyone already?” Rantaro asks. 

Monokuma giggles in his seat, “I take my rules very seriously here! I would never do anything to harm you guys... directly.”

“Huh? You can harm someone indirectly?” Monotaro asks.

“‘Course you can. You ever heard of spreading rumours?” Monosuke pushes up his glasses, “Lemme tell ya, extremely reliable cash grab. Everybody loves drama these days.”

“Drama? What ever happened to good old fashioned adventure stories with a romance subplot?” Monophanie asks wistfully.

“What ever happened to good ol’ fashioned blood, guts and gore?! Screw the talkin’ and drama, I want me some broken bones and hardcore death!” Monokid roars.

Monophanie trembles, “I-I don’t know what’s worse!”

“A-anyway, we still d-didn’t answer Kiyo’s question,” Shuichi stutters.

“The problem with answering a question like that so early is that it would require knowing the culprit and their circumstances,” Rantaro explains, “and because we know neither, we can’t continue if that is our first point for discussion.”

“Ah, my mistake,” Kiyo says.

“It’s okay. We just need to think of something we can start with,” you say, smiling.

Himiko cracks her knuckles, calling attention to herself. “Well, when I’m planning my sculptures, I have to map out exactly how I’m going to shape it. You gotta get your tools and mats and materials and hands ready before you can even start making it.”

“I see, I see! Then we should also map out how exactly the murder was planned!” Angie concludes.

“Actually, I was going to use that analogy as an excuse to take a nap. I usually nap really hard before I get my stuff ready,” Himiko adds.

“But Gonta not know when Kokichi was murdered,” Gonta glumly says.

“The Monokuma File doesn’t specify a time,” Tsumugi says.

“So before we collect any more alibis, we should discuss what time the murder took place,” Kiyo nods.

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Monokuma File 1 _

> _ Kibou’s Autopsy _

> _ No Blood _

> _ Backwards Shirt _

“What time the murder took place...” Rantaro trails off.

“Alright, let’s see if this helps,” Kirumi puts her fists to her hips, “the culprit and Kokichi decided to meet up together in the library. And then, just _ after everyone woke up _, they stabbed him and shoved him in the bookcase!”

“So who was already awake by then?” Himiko asks.

“Ryoma, Kaito and Kiyo were fighting in the dining hall,” Angie starts to list, “and I went with Kaede who was with Kibou who went with Maki!”

Kibou shifts awkwardly behind his podium.

\--> _ Kibou’s Autopsy _

**Counter!**

“Wait, Kokichi wasn’t killed in the morning, he had been dead for several hours before we found him. Right, Kibou?”

Kibou nods, “While investigating the body, I had noticed that Kokichi had already begun to turn green. That usually only happens after at least two hours. Judging by his condition, it had probably taken around more than six hours for him to have been found.”

“Wow! I never knew we had a dead body expert!” Angie cheers.

“That’s probably to be expected from a soldier though,” Kirumi adds, “like, no offense but if anyone was to know anything about dead bodies, it’d be you.”

Kibou sighs, “I know, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry! You’re being super helpful so thank you,” you smile.

“If he was killed in the night... what then?” Kaito asks.

Miu snorts. “Are you fuckin’ serious? A couple of minutes in and you’re already stuck?”

“_ You’re _? Is there something you’re not telling us?” Kibou asks.

“Uh, yeah! I already know who the culprit is!” she boldly exclaims.

Monokuma starts to sweat. “W-what?!”

“Why are you so surprised?” Maki asks.

“‘Cause if she’s right, that would set a new record. And exceed all my expectations. I mean, her? Seriously?”

“How fast was the previous record?” Monotaro asks.

“Real fast, lemme tell ya,” Monosuke says.

“It was solved without even needing a detective,” Monophanie sighs, “I believe it was... an Ultimate Entomologist who solved it first.”

“Eh? But there aren’t even any bugs in here,” Monotaro points out.

“Yeah, that’s how bad it was,” Monosuke sighs, shaking his head. 

“Can it, you freaks! We’re in the middle of something important,” Kirumi shouts.

“You could’ve asked them to be quiet in a more polite manner,” Tenko says.

“Shove a sock in it, I’m not being quiet for your sake!”

“Do these two ever stop fighting?” Himiko yawns.

“Fights between friends no help,” Gonta frowns, “friends should listen to each other and let them speak!”

You sigh, “Miu, was there something you were trying to say?

“Hey, I’m not only a master of detecting lies, I’m also a fucking genius,” Miu shouts with her hands on her hips.

Rantaro looks ready to die. “We know, you don’t need to say it again.”

“Miu, do you really know who the culprit is?” Kaito asks.

“No doubt about it! So to catch you all up to speed, I’ma say this nice and slow for your dumb brains.” She cackles and then clears her throat for dramatic flair. “We know that Kaeidiot and Kipoo found the body, right? And that Maki made the cameras for their trap, right? They had to open the secret door to find his body, right?”

“Where are you going with this?” Himiko yawns.

“If they knew about the bookcase, then we they could be the only ones that could’ve stuffed his body into it! Therefore the culprit is either Ms Edgy, Kaeidiot or Kipoo!”

“What?” you exclaim. 

Maki’s face turns cold, “What did you just call me?”

“Um, hello? I think it’s a little more important that I just called you out on your murder plan!” Miu points to her with a condescending tone, “Do you need me to explain why I think you killed Cockitchy again? Is that what you need?”

“You’re wrong, I didn’t know about the bookcase. I just made the cameras,” she shoots you a glare, “Kaede and Kibou lied to me about what they would be used for.”

You tug on your sweater to let some air down your neck. “O-oh, right. I forgot I... did that.”

“So while Ms. Edgy was runnin’ around with making cameras for a stupid plan, she could’ve snuck behind their backs and killed him. Or, Kaidiot and/or Kipoo were lying to everyone’s faces and killed Cockitchy. Either way, case solved.”

Kaito starts to shout, “You can’t prove any of that! If Maki, Kaede or Kibou was the killer then tell us how! How did they kill him?”

“Wow, you’re even dumber than I thought! Fiiiine, I guess I’ll lay it out for you.”

_ Miu’s making some really bold claims. I know I didn’t kill Kokichi. I know Kibou and Maki didn’t kill Kokichi. I just need to show her the proof. _

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Rantaro’s Account _

> _Backwards Shirt_

> _Dried Blood_

> _ Angie’s Account _

“So we all know _Maki,_ _Kaede and Kibou knew about the bookcase_,” Miu explains, “so they could’ve shoved Kokichi into it after killing him!”

Ryoma tilts his head, “I suppose but how do you think they killed him?”

“Easy! Kibou’s a soldier so he’s obviously got weapons lying around. Maki’s probably got a bunch of big tools too. She’s the most suspicious!”

“_I_ _never had the chance to get to the library_,” says Maki.

Tenko stares Maki down. “_ Since Kaede and Kibou had told you about their plan, _ you should’ve known about the bookcase and the trap.”

“And I’m telling you, Kaede and Kibou lied to me. I didn’t know about the bookcase.”

Miu scoffs, “A likely story. Come on, just admit it already. Maki is totally the culprit!_ ” _

\--> Rantaro’s Account

**Consent!**

“No, Maki couldn’t be the culprit. She didn’t have a chance to get to the basement.” You point assertively, “You can back me up, right Rantaro?”

“Yeah, I stayed with Maki through most of last night and later this morning,” Rantaro confirms.

“And before Rantaro woke up this morning, I watched Maki walk to her lab and then retrieved the cameras from her,” Kibou adds.

“You were stalking me?” Maki asks, suddenly pissed.

“S-sorry. I didn’t mean to. Old habits die hard,” Kibou apologises.

“I stayed with Maki all the way until the body discovery announcement,” Rantaro puts his hands to his hips, “there, that’s Maki’s alibi.”

Miu starts to retreat into herself, “R-right, I see. S-so Maki isn’t the culprit.”

“We’re not going to get very far if we keep accusing each other,” says Kibou, “instead, we should use the evidence we have to map out how Kokichi was murdered.”

“Should we start with the weird head wound?” Kaito asks.

“It’s possible that it served to incapacitate Kokichi before delivering the fatal blow,” Kiyo says. 

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Tsumugi’s Account _

> _Clump of Hair_

> _Monokuma File 1_

> _ Bloody Mat _

> _ No Blood _

“What caused Kokichi’s head wound...” Kibou trails off.

“Manhole in boiler was pretty big,” Gonta observes.

“You’re the only one who could possibly pick that up,” Tenko says.

“Was _ he slammed into something _?” Tsumugi wonders.

“If he was, there’s no way to prove it,” Rantaro says.

“What about the _ shot put balls _ in the warehouse?” Ryoma suggests.

“Someone could have _ punched _him super hard!” Kirumi starts punching the air, “Then they wouldn’t even need to dispose of the weapon!”

\--> _ Clump of Hair _

**Consent!**

“I think a shot put ball is exactly right! It’s definitely what was used to knock him out. Maki even found some hair in the box where the balls are!”

Maki digs through her pocket and takes out the bag of hair. “Yeah, it’s Kokichi’s hair. Whoever hit him must’ve had an iron grip or something.”

“So he was knocked out with the shot put ball,” Kiyo nods, “and that’s how the head injury was formed.

“But the fatal wound was something impaling him,” Himiko sighs.

“We’ll need to think of something that could possibly impale a person,” says Rantaro.

“But where to start? Gonta didn’t see weapon nearby.”

“Then before we can continue, we should try to decipher the murder weapon,” says Kiyo.

Gonta begins the discussion. “Kokichi was found in the library... but no weapon could be found.”

“According to the Monokuma File,” Tsumugi continues, “he was killed by being impaled.”

“Where would someone find a weapon that could impale him?” Ryoma asks.  
“W-what about the knives from the d-dining hall?” Shuichi offers.

“Like I said, the knives were too short to be used,” Kiyo says, “and nothing else in the dining hall could be used that way.”

“Someone could have used a tool from Maki’s lab,” Tenko suggests.

Maki shakes her head. “That’s impossible, I was the only one who used it and I locked my lab when I left.”

_ No, we’re going in circles here. _

What could be the murder weapon?

\--> _ Javelin Pole _

“Actually, the javelin poles in the warehouse would be perfect for impaling,” you remember the one pointed at your face, “Maki can testify that we found one with some blood on the end.”

“Yeah, she’s right,” she almost sounds disappointed.

“Is that why she was pointing it at you? Were you just inspecting the blood?” Tsumugi asks.

You look over at Maki. She glares daggers into your eyes. “U-um... yeah. She was just... showing me the blood.”

“Really? Is that all it was?” Miu says with a smirk, “So there was no power dynamic? No blade resting on your chin, tilting your head up as she threatened to pierce your skin?”

“Shut your mouth before I shove nails into it,” Maki threatens.

Miu cowers, “Hee! D-don’t threaten me like th-that! It w-was just a joke!”

“So we have the murder weapon and the cause of the head wound,” Kaito says.

“Are we supposed to know what to do now?” Himiko asks.

“Yeah, this is a lot easier in the detective novels than here,” Tsumugi agrees.

The courtroom is disturbingly quiet. There are lots of arguments that could be made. But they aren’t. The lack of direction and flow seems to quickly put an end to actually discussing anything. It does give you enough time to dwell on Kokichi’s death.

_ Why was he in the bookcase? _ you ask yourself, _ What was he doing in the library? _

You would like to think that Kokichi isn’t the mastermind. If he were, the killing game would’ve ended, right?

...

Would it?

You fiddle with the beads on your wrist. The momento doesn’t bring any new answers or questions. It stares back at you, taunting you. The little clacks together remind you of when you first met him. He pulled out his gear and tried to keep your hopes high even in the face of defeat. That childish grin and those stupid questions and that mocking tone, it was kind of refreshing. 

You look up at Kokichi’s portrait. His smile looks nice. If he were here now, he’d be rambling about something that probably wasn’t true and while it may be annoying or inappropriate, it would be nice to hear. A change of pace, maybe. Some new insight. He did seem pretty smart despite the things he said.

Which only makes you wonder...

“Wh-what was Kokichi doing in the library?”

Shuichi’s question turns everyone’s attention to him.

“What do you mean?” you ask.

“Um.. I mean.... why d-did you find him jammed in the b-bookcase?”

“Isn’t it kinda obvious?” Kirumi folds her arms, “you find a dead body in the library, he was probably killed in the library.”

_ No, that seems inconsistent. There’s a flaw in that argument. _

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Monokuma File 1 _

> _Angie’s Account_

> _Kokichi’s Cardigan_

> _ No Blood _

Angie leads the conversation. “Kokichi was found in the library a couple of hours before the time limit.”

Tenko continues, “He was laying just _ in front of the bookcase _ when he was found.”

“That is because he had fallen out of the bookcase,” Kibou adds.

“So if Kokichi was _ killed in the library _,” Kirumi says, “then the killer must’ve brought the weapon with them!”

“When could have someone brought an entire javelin pole to the library?” Himiko asks.

“Miu and Himiko were too close to the warehouse at 1:30 for it to not be suspicious,” Maki says.

“Why not ask _ the guy who literally murders people _?!” Miu scowls.

Kibou raises his hands in defense, “A-are you referring to me?”

**\--> ** _ No Blood _

**Counter!**

You point at Kirumi. “Hold on, I don’t think Kokichi was killed in the library!”

“Eh? Why not?” she asks.

“Because when we investigated the library, there was no blood to be found. No splats on the walls or shelves or anything. If he’d been impaled, that would’ve caused a lot of splatter, don’t you think?”

“B-but couldn’t the c-culprit have cleaned up the b-blood?” Shuichi stutters.

Kibou speaks up, “When we checked the area around the body, all of the shelves were still dusty. If the culprit had cleaned the blood then they would have also cleaned all of the dust as well.”

“Plus, I couldn’t smell any cleaning products,” Tsumugi adds, “so I have to agree with Kaede, I don’t think he was murdered in the library.”

“That implies he would have somehow been transported to the library but do we have any proof for that?” Kiyo asks.

“As a matter of fact, I do,” you say.

\--> _ Bloody Gym Mat _

“Tsumugi and I found a bloody gym mat in the AV room. I’ve got no doubt that this is what was used to transport Kokichi to the basement.”

Tsumugi, however, looks doubtful. “I mean, it was gross but... couldn’t the culprit have just carried him without it?”

Kibou comes to your defence, “The body was kept mostly level. If he had been dragged on the floor, the blood would have gone to whichever side was on the ground due to gravity. Being carried on a mat makes the most logical sense.”

“But if he wasn’t killed in the library, then where?” Kaito asks.

Tenko folds her arms behind her back. “It could have been in the dining hall. It’s just across from the warehouse.”

Kiyo shakes their head, “I suspect not. There were no blood stains anywhere.”

“It’s unlikely he was killed in the dining hall because of the nighttime rules. The dining hall was closed during the time of the murder,” Ryoma says, closing that theory.

_ Nobody can decide where the murder took place. It’s alright, I can steer them toward the truth! _

“Actually, there is some pretty good evidence to say he was killed in the warehouse!” 

\--> _ Dried Blood _

With no interruption, you continue with your point. “While investigating the warehouse, we found some blood splattered around on the floor and shelves. Plus, with the javelin pole, the gym mat and shot put ball, it’s the only place that would make sense.”

“Right, so he was murdered in the warehouse and then carried into the basement,” Kiyo says, tapping their fingers over their arm.

“So now we know the weapon, the location and the source for the head wound, we should start tallying up the alibis,” says Rantaro.

Tenko folds her hands, “We can already rule out Rantaro and Maki due to their previous statements.”

“Kaito came out of Kokichi’s room and then back to his own,” Himiko adds.

“We can assume that everyone who stayed in their rooms is also innocent,” says Rantaro, “so if anyone went outside of their rooms last night, they’re automatically suspicious.”

“Well, _ I _ was in the bathroom,” Miu says, flicking her hair.

“I stayed in my lab,” Kirumi sighs.

“I was investigating the library,” Kibou admits.

“I was getting paint.” Himiko yawns. “I also walked with him last night on the way to the school store.”

“I was also in the bathroom,” says Tsumugi.

“I did my morning routine.” Kiyo strokes their hair.

“Whoever last saw him probably killed him. Isn’t that right, Himiko?” Maki accuses.

“But I just said I didn’t do it. I was just getting paint and drooling on my pillow.”

Kaito shakes with unease, “I didn’t kill Kokichi! He was annoying but I’d never kill him!”

Kirumi pounds her fist on the podium, “I was too far away to have killed him so I didn’t do it either!”

“Kirumi, your account is suspicious too,” Kiyo says.

“I didn’t even see him last night, I was too busy in my lab!”

“Wait, stop! We can’t discuss this if we’re yelling over each other,” you shout.

Nobody is listening. Everyone clambours over each other to prove their innocence.

_ Hold on, I can listen to their voices! If they won’t stop then I’ll let them talk and pick them out. _

“If Himiko was the last person to see Kokichi, she’s the most suspicious.”

“No, he went to the bathroom and I never saw him again. The guy who came out of his room is the most suspicious.”

“Don’t toss the blame to me! I just said I didn’t kill him!”

“Kirumi, your claim doesn’t free you of suspicion either.”

“And I’m telling you, I was rocking out in my lab with Shuichi! I didn’t see Kokichi the whole night!”

**“I’m not the culprit. I’m just tired.”**

“**I totally am not the culprit!**”

**“No way was I the culprit!”**

** _Mass Panic Debate_ **

\-->_ School Regulations _

\--> _ Backwards Shirt _

\--> _ Angie’s Account _

\--> _ Bloody mat _

There’s no way I could’ve killed Kokichi/I’m not a bad girl, I’m just sleepy/I couldn’t have killed him anyway!

I was upstairs the whole night, no way I could’ve seen him!/’Cause I was arguing with Kiyo and Ryoma!/I also tripped on my paint while getting out of bed.

Again, Kaito, that doesn’t prove anything/But you went downstairs without Shuichi, correct?/Oh yeah, I also saw Kokichi last night but I didn’t kill him.

Admitting you saw him doesn’t make you innocent, idiot/If we don’t have the correct time frame then your alibi can’t be used/I wasn’t even down there long enough to kill anyone.

If anything, it only makes you more suspicious/If your ears were better then I’d be proven innocent!/Yeah but... I couldn’t have killed him because...

_ I never even saw him last night! _/What a waste of time, you shouldn’t be making so much noise/Nyehh... whatever. I don’t care.

\--> _ Angie’s Account _

**Counter!**

“Kaito, what are you saying? Of course you saw him last night! That’s why you’re innocent!”

“How does that make him innocent?” Ryoma asks.

“Because according to Angie, Kaito was in Kokichi’s room. When Kokichi left his room, Kaito went back to his dorm and then never left again. Because Kaito was with him when he was still alive and then never saw him again, we can prove Kaito is not the culprit!”

“See? Angie can back me up. Like I said, I’m not suspicious!” Kaito grins.

“No, I suppose not,” Kibou admits.

Kiyo fiddles with the chains around their neck, “Angie, could you list everyone who left their rooms last night?”

“Sure! There was Kaito, Tsumugi, Kibou, Kokichi, Himiko, Miu, Rantaro, Kirumi, Shuichi, Maki and Korekiyo. Oh, and me. I was the first out.”

“Can anyone from this list prove that they were not the killer?” Tenko asks.

“What? You want me to talk about my shit in detail? Will that convince ya?” Miu grins.

Tenko scowls, “That will not be necessary.”

“If nobody can prove they are innocent then I’m afraid we’ve reached an impasse,” Rantaro sighs.

“Wait, I went to the school store ‘cause my guitar pick snapped,” Kirumi adds.

Himiko nods, “Yeah, I saw her and Shuichi while I was getting paint brushes. And Miu.”

“Yeah, she dropped her shit everywhere and spilled paint all over me.” Miu cackles, “Boom! Himiko saw me! That’s my fuckin’ alibi, you worms!” 

“Hey, you _ ran into _ me. You didn’t even help me pick up my stuff afterwards.”

“Didn’t need to. I had more important things to do like change clothes and take my bitchin’ beauty nap.”

“But what time did Kirumi and Himiko see each other?” Angie asks.

Kirumi thinks for a moment, “I checked the time when I had walked down to get a new guitar pick. It was around... 1:00 A.M, I think.”

Angie spins on their toes to look at Miu. “And what time did you run into Himiko?”

“Huh? I dunno. I think I checked the time to see how many hours I should’ve slept in the morning when I left the bathroom. It was like, 1:35 or something.” 

“Hm, I see.”

“What is it?” Himiko asks.

“That’s interesting indeed,” Angie tilts their head with a grin, “that means the people who were out at that time were Tsumugi, Kibou, Rantaro, Miu, Maki, Himiko, Shuichi and Kirumi.”

“Rantaro and Maki already have an alibi and if what Himiko, Miu and Kirumi say is true then they have one too.”

Kirumi pumps her fists, “Hey, I was with Shuichi for almost the whole night! He came with me to the school store!”

“So that leaves Kibou and Tsumugi,” says Maki.

“Wait, you’re asking about Tsumugi’s alibi too?” Miu asks.

“Yes, why wouldn’t we?” Kiyo raises a brow.

Miu puts her hands to her hips. “Cuz I saw her leaving as I was entering the bathroom.”

“Oh, you brought that up after all,” Tsumugi nervously plays with her clothes.

“What? Nothin’ wrong with admitting you’re taking a massive shit! It shows pride in both oneself and one’s intestinal health.”

“That leaves one person then,” Kiyo interrupts.

All eyes fall on the one remaining person without an alibi.

“Kibou,” Tsumugi asks, “what were you doing in the library?”

Kibou hesitates. He fiddles with his gloves. “I was mapping out where we were going to stick the cameras.”

“That’s a pretty weak claim considering he was all alone,” says Tenko.

“He was in the library when Kokichi got murdered?” Himiko looks to the side, “Gotta admit, that sounds the most suspicious.”

Kibou doesn’t say anything. He’s gone awfully quiet.

“Yeah, he kills people. Of course he’s the most suspicious,” Miu rolls her eyes.

“Plus, he was gone for a really long time. He looked shifty when he came back to the dorms,” Angie adds.

Kaito scrunches his face, confused and upset. “Kibou, what the hell?”

“Kibou would not kill Kokichi. Right?” Gonta asks with worry.

Kibou doesn’t answer.

“K-Kibou?” you stutter out.

“You had better speak up soon. Your silence will only damn you further,” Kiyo threatens.

Kirumi points at him, “It’s a simple question, Soulja-Boy! Did you kill Kokichi?!”

“If you’re gonna pretend you can’t answer it, at least plead the fifth or something,” Tsumugi chuckles, humourlessly.

“W-wait, hold on!” you protest, “Kibou couldn’t have killed him!”

“Don’t get emotional. Or have you already forgotten that voting wrong will execute everyone?” Maki says with a glare.

“Unless Kibou can prove he didn’t kill Kokichi, he’s the most likely culprit,” Ryoma says, his face goes dark.

Kibou continues to stay silent, looking into the floor with absent eyes.

_ No, Kibou didn’t kill Kokichi either! I just have to prove that to everyone! _

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Dried Blood _

>_ Monokuma File 1 _

> _ Clump of Hair _

> _ Kokichi’s Cardigan _

Ryoma starts the accusation. “Kibou was in the library last night for a really long time... claiming he was looking for good camera spots.”

“_ Nobody saw him the entire night _,” Rantaro continues, “besides Angie who saw him leave his room.”

“He and Kaede were the only people who knew about the hidden bookcase and Kaede had stayed in her room the whole night,” Tenko says.

“Wh-which makes it plausible f-for him to have p-pushed him into the bookcase,” Shuichi stutters.

“Kibou is soldier and soldiers pick up people,” Gonta adds.

“Then it’s entirely _ possible for him to have murdered Kokichi _ and then carried him into the bookcase,” Kiyo ends.

\--> _Kokichi’s Cardigan_

**Counter!**

“No, it’s not possible for Kibou to have murdered Kokichi.”

“Oh?” they raise a brow.

You continue, “When we found Kokichi, he didn’t have his cardigan on. Instead, it was found under the stack of gym mats in the warehouse. The cardigan was covered in paint, specifically the colours Himiko was using last night. But Himiko never saw Kibou last night. Therefore, if the culprit had taken it off of him, they would’ve had to run into Himiko!”

“_You’re reasoning is flawed._”

_ Argue! _

Tenko’s interruption catches you off guard. “While I see what you are saying, I believe you are mistaken. Anyone can get access to the school store. That’s not a good enough excuse for Kibou to not be the culprit.”

“Wh-what do you mean by that?” you ask.

“You claim that the paint clears Kibou from suspicion but you don’t realise that anyone could have done it, Kibou included. Kibou has no alibi, knew about the hidden bookcase and has shown he’s more than capable of murder from his talent as the Ultimate Soldier.” She folds her arms over each other. “You’re going to need to try harder than that to convince us of his innocence.”

**Rebuttal **

**Showdown**

**\- Truth Blade -**

> _ Monokuma File 1 _

> _ School Regulations _

> _ Rantaro’s Account _

> _ Stain In AV Room _

> _ No Blood _

“Even if you think about the cardigan,” Tenko begins, “Kibou could have simply waited for Himiko to come out of the school store before using the paint. Because nobody else saw him, he would have easily gotten away with it too. He did it to frame Himiko for murder.”

You assert control. “But if he waited for Himiko to leave the store, he wouldn’t be able to dip the cardigan in the correct colours.”

“He didn’t need the paint buckets because he could have rolled it in the paint spilled on the ground. Kibou murdered Kokichi, saw the paint spill on the ground, rolled the cardigan in it and then hid it close enough to the school store to make us suspect Himiko.” Tenko folds her arms. “No matter which way you look at it, it is logical to say that _ Kibou is the culprit _.”

\--> _ School Regulations _

**Counter!**

“No, Kibou couldn’t be the culprit! I can prove it!”

“And how do you plan to do that?” Kiyo asks, intrigued.

You take the Monopad out of your bag. “According to the school regulations, a body discovery announcement will only go off after three or more people see the body. If Kibou was the culprit then that would mean two different people before me found Kokichi’s body, and then didn’t tell anyone.”

Some people take out their Monopads to check the rules again. 

Rantaro looks up from his screen, “If anyone saw Kokichi’s body before Kaede did, speak up now.”

No-one says a word. You look around. All shaking heads and confused expressions.

“See? If nobody else saw the body then there’s no way Kibou could’ve been the culprit!”

“Well, that shoots a hole in _ that _ argument,” Ryoma says.

“Cuts through it, more like,” Tsumugi mumbles.

“But now what? We have no suspects and no leads,” Himiko sighs.

“If anyone has any information, even as meaningless as you think it is, the time to say it is now,” Rantaro orders.

Kirumi grabs at her skirt. She looks like she has something to say.

“K-Kirumi?” Shuichi asks.

“I’m fine, it’s nothing,” she lies.

“No, hold on. If Kirumi is uncertain about something then we should explore it,” you say.

She pauses. She looks around the room. She looks at Shuichi who offers a nervous smile. She looks at you. Clenching her eyes shut, she lets out a harsh breath and speaks.

“I know we already said that Kaito couldn’t be the culprit but... I swear I heard him in the warehouse last night.”

“Huh?” Kaito tilts his head.

She continues, “While I was with Himiko in the store, we heard something going on outside. I know it was him, he’s got that trying-to-be-masculine voice and everything. It shouldn’t have been but... I’m certain it was him.”

“Wh-what do you mean _ trying _ -to-be-masculine? I _ am _masculine!” Kaito shouts.

“Do you know what Kaito was saying?” Rantaro asks.

Kirumi twirls her hair around a finger, “I think... he was calling him over. He said “Hey, Kokichi, can I talk to you for a second?” and then I heard footsteps from outside.”

“Oh yeah, the warehouse doors opened next to us,” Himiko adds.

“A-and you’re sure it w-was Kaito?” Shuichi stutters.

Kirumi nods, “Absolutely.”

“It couldn’t have been, I was in my room for the rest of the night. I never went to the warehouse,” Kaito says, confusion written on his face.

“You don’t need to prove that because of Angie’s Account,” Kibou taps on his face, “so then... what was Kirumi hearing?”

_ Kaito couldn’t have been out because of his alibi. But... Kirumi is sure she heard him last night. _

_ That could only mean... _

“I think it’s possible that someone was impersonating Kaito,” you say.

“Is someone even capable of doing that?” Tenko asks.

“I mean, anyone could, theoretically.” Himiko clears her throat and starts to shout. “I’m Kaito Momota! I swim and stuff! I’m always yelling for some reason!!”

“Hey, that doesn’t sound like me at all!” Kaito yells.

“I dunno, that sounded pretty good,” Ryoma says, quietly laughing.

“Oh ha ha, real funny. Look, are we going to take this seriously or what?”

You take control of the debate, “If this theory is correct, we’ll need to go over who was out last night.”

Angie bounces from foot-to-foot, “Hey, Kirumi! What time did you hear this?”

“It was when Himiko and I were together at one in the morning,” Kirumi says, folding her arms.

“So that narrows it down to the original people we had before.” They bring their fingers up to count. “Maki, Rantaro, Tsumugi, Kibou, Himiko, Kirumi and Miu.”

“Again, Maki and I were together in Maki’s lab all of last night so it was neither of us,” Rantaro repeats.

“If Kirumi and Himiko were together at the time the voice was heard and Miu ran into Himiko while leaving the bathroom, that leaves only two suspects.”

“And if we know for certain that Kibou cannot be the killer, that rules him out too.”

_ Someone who doesn’t have an airtight alibi who was out of their dorms at 1:00 A.M who tricked Kirumi into thinking she heard Kaito... _

...

_ Wait... hold on... _

_ No, that can’t be right. It couldn’t be... _

** _A_ ** ** _ccuse_ **

_ Select Someone _

_ Tsumugi Shirogane. _

**Decide**

“Tsumugi... Was it you?”

“Wh-what was me?” she stutters.

Something kicks your chest and projects your voice. “You lured Kokichi into the warehouse! You were the first one to leave the dorms at 12:35 and was out for roughly three hours!”

“That’s way too long for someone to be using the bathroom!” Kaito yells.

“And more than enough time to lure Kokichi, kill him and take his body to the library,” Rantaro adds.

Tsumugi begins to sweat. “I-I just take a really long time! I j-just... daydream is all!”

“And if Kibou was really in the library, you still had the chance to bring Kokichi’s body there anyway.”

When could have Tsumugi been alone in the library?

_ This morning! _

“Because you told me that you were in the basement this morning! We ran into each other as you came up the stairs!”

“Th-that’s...!” 

“If you take into account the amount of time you spent alone last night and what you were doing this morning, you’re the only one who could’ve done it!”

“A-are you serious? Th-this is all just a coincidence!” she grows more shaky.

“Really? Then is it just a coincidence that I know that it wasn’t Kaito luring Kokichi to the warehouse?”

“K-Kaede, wait!”

You point with every ounce of assertion you have. “Tsumugi has a talent for impersonating people!”

“What?” Rantaro mutters.

“Tsumugi, you remember that night when we tried to escape through the tunnel. I helped you out and... you tried to cheer me up,” you feel more passion in your voice, “you pretended to be Miu and apologised in her voice. You even sounded just like me.”

“Hey, you can’t do that! My voice is practically copyrighted!” Miu shouts.

Tsumugi shudders, “Y-you can’t prove that—”

“Actually, she can,” Ryoma intervenes.

“Really?” you ask, kind of surprised honestly.

He nods. “We were looking for a bag to put the evidence in when I thought I heard Kaede’s voice from inside the room. I turned around but she wasn’t there. Tsumugi’s mouth was moving but Kaede’s voice came out. She was just impersonating her.”

“Gh...! I...I—”

“You pretended to be Kaito to lure Kokichi into the warehouse, snuck up behind him and knocked him out. Then, you impaled him with the javelin pole,” Maki sums up.

“You’ve mentioned spending a lot of time reading and being in the library so it’s not too far of a stretch to believe you found the hidden bookcase before the murder took place,” Kiyo adds.

“Ngh...!”

“And you knew about the AV room. There are suspicious things in there too.”

\-->_ Stain In AV Room _

\--> _ Bloody Gym Mat _

“It’s consistent with the shape of the gym mat. You brought Kokichi down into the AV room on the gym mat, waited for Kibou to leave and then dragged Kokichi into the library and shoved him into the hidden bookcase.”

“We have an AV room?” Himiko asks.

“Ngh—”

“Tsumugi, tell me this isn’t true. Tell me this is all one big joke,” you clench your fist, something wells in your eyes again. “You were always by my side, even when I couldn’t tell you our plan... You helped me investigate and collect evidence... You were always so nice and fun to be around... I don’t want to believe you’re the one who killed Kokichi.”

She sputters out something incoherent. She shakes and clenches onto her own clothes. Her glasses slip from her face.

You cry out. “Tsumugi! Please, say something!”

The court room is silent. Tsumugi shudders behind her podium. Fifteen pairs of eyes all look down in horror and anger and confusion at this sad display. She trembles. One hand reaches to the left post of the podium. Rantaro stares down at it.

“Ngh haha! Hehehehehe.”

“Ahahahahahaha! ...Hahahaha hehehehe!” It’s a laugh like you’ve never heard before, full of wheezing and childish giggles at the same time. “What a beautiful display of overcoming despair! Talented Ultimates working together to defeat pure evil! And how their parts have been played so wonderfully.”

“...What?” is all you can think to say.

  


This... can’t be. The only light in those eyes spiral deeper into the void surrounding it. The wicked grin on her lips are nothing like the sweet smiles you saw moments before.

“Aha! I don’t mean to Deux Ex Machina this — and I mean that in its traditional form, not the modern shorthand associated with it — but I’m sure we’re all tired and ready to go. I’ll keep this brief.” Tsumugi crosses her arms over her chest and grabs her shoulders. “I’m the one who waited in the warehouse until someone was out in the hallway. I’m the one who lured him over using Kaito’s voice. I’m the one who snuck up behind him and knocked him out with the shot put ball. And of course, I’m the one who shoved Kokichi into the hidden bookcase. You got that all right.”

“...What strange spirit have we summoned for you to be acting this way?” Kiyo asks with knit brows.

Tsumugi brings her hands to her face, “And now that the mystery has been solved, you can all do your part and finish it all off. What a plot twist! The amateur detective’s apprentice was the villain after all!” she looks away and her smile drops a little, “Actually, given how many untalented mystery novels there are out there, the twist isn’t exactly spectacular anymore. But nevertheless, Kokichi played his part very well.”

Kirumi clenches the podium, “Shut up! Shut the fuck up! What the hell is wrong with you?!”

“G-get a grip on yourself! Tsumugi, what’s gotten into you?” Kaito shouts.

“Gotten into _ me _ ? What’s gotten into _ you _? You’re the hero archetype, aren’t you?” Tsumugi giggles, “You’re bold and brave and strong, right? You should be telling the group to hurry up and vote! You’re the hero and I’m the villain, isn’t this what you wanted?”

Kaito steps back, “Wh-what are you...?”

“I stole your voice and used it for my own gain and now your friend is dead. Aren’t you mad? Aren’t you enraged? Don’t you want justice? You can take it out on me ‘cause I’m just a stupid, arrogant weeaboo who can’t even get away with murder.”

_ Sh-she’s not... is she really...? Is this the _ ** _real_ ** _ Tsumugi? _

“I-if you w-were waiting for s-someone to show up, d-did it not m-m-matter if it was K-Kokichi?” asks Shuichi.

She smiles. “Nope! He just came out by chance. Honestly, I think there were some other targets that could’ve worked better but y’know, can’t change the luck cycle.”

“Did you know that Kaito and Kokichi were together beforehand?” Maki also asks.

“No, I was already gone by then. Again, just lucky that it worked!” she grins at Kaito, “Thanks for that though. He might’ve been too suspicious of me had you not come around to visit him first.”

Kaito raises a fist. “Y-you...!”

“This is already a test of my patience, any longer and I may undo all of my training within an instant,” Tenko deadpans.

Kirumi growls. “I don’t usually agree with her but I’m gonna. Can we just kill this psycho bitch and be out of here? She’s giving me the creeps!”

Angie hops on one leg, “All in favour of casting our votes?”

“Wait, hold on!” Kibou shouts.

“Huh? What is it?” you ask.

“I just want to ask her one more thing.” Kibou tries but he can’t seem to look at her face. “I-if you’re the killer then... why did the body discovery announcement play after Kaede and I found it? Was there.... someone with you?”

Tsumugi taps her chin, “Hm? Still wondering about that? I can see why, it just saved you a couple of minutes ago.”

“Who cares? She killed him, let’s go home,” Himiko groans.

You shout, “No, Kibou makes a good point! The rules specify that _ three _ or more people need to sound the alarm, not two. There’s more to this case!”

“No, there’s not,” Maki glares at you, “she just confessed, what else is there to say?”

“I’d rather not bet my life against a single mistake that could determine who the real culprit is,” Kiyo says.

“N-neither do I,” Shuichi agrees.

Kaito punches his fists together. “She’s just trying to rile us up, there’s obviously something she’s hiding.”

Rantaro sighs, “One alarm probably isn’t going to change the outcome for this trial. Tsumugi is definitely the culprit.”

“Gonta disagree!”

“What? There’s no fuckin’ reason to keep this going ‘cause psycho whore already confessed!” Miu yells.

Kiyo pinches the bridge of their nose. “This is proving to be quite frustrating. How is the discussion supposed to continue if we can’t decide whether or not to vote? Our opinions are evenly split.”

“HOLD ON!” Monokuma roars from his chair. “...Split? Did you just say split?”

“They did! I heard, I heard!” Monotaro cheers.

“Then without further ado, The Ultimate Academy is proud to present its very own morphenomenal trial grounds!”

“...Morpha-what?” Maki asks.

“The trial ground is capable of morphing?” Angie’s eyes light up, “That’s amazing! What kind of technological witchcraft could allow for such a thing?! I must know!”

_ Wh-what? Why is this...? _

Well, regardless, it seems like you can’t move forward until you can prove Tsumugi’s innocence. This conversation is not over, you can’t let it be over. If you get it wrong, everyone dies. All hope is lost.

**Split Opinion**

Monokuma raises a key into the air. He twirls it in his paws and then pushes it into a lock in front of him. The whole room lights up in artificial blue, the podium shakes under your feet. You grip onto it to keep from falling. 

One-by-one, the podiums begin to lift off the ground. Angie cheers as they rise into the air. The other’s don’t have a similar reaction. You swear, you can hear Shuichi’s knees knocking. The ground doesn’t come with you but the podium seems to have one placed under your feet. 

_ Is this even necessary? _ you can’t help but wonder.

The podiums create two lines with Monokuma at the end. He watches with glee in between the two arguing points.

**Is Tsumugi the culprit?**

** Tsumugi is the culprit ** **Tsumugi isn’t the culprit**

_ Maki: _

“Tsumugi _ confessed _ to murder so we should vote.”

_ Kiyo: _

“Tsumugi never confessed to killing Kokichi,

only luring and hiding him.”

_ Miu: _

“But we have no other suspects and she’s the most

_ suspicious_!”

_ Shuichi: _

“I-if we go over it again, we m-may find that

someone else could be more suspicious.”

_ Angie: _

“There was nobody else out who didn’t have an _ alibi _.”

_ Kaede: _

“We can’t be sure as someone could be

lying about their alibi.”

_ Kirumi: _

“Why would there be anyone else involved?

There’s no _ reason _ to assist in a murder!”

_ Kaito: _

“Tsumugi’s reason doesn’t matter if we can’t

find the real culprit.”

_ Rantaro: _

“We’ve exhausted every piece of _ evidence_,

this is just a waste of time.”

_ Kibou: _

“No, there is still evidence that needs

to be accounted for.”

_ Himiko: _

“We should just start the vote already. We’re _ done _,

aren’t we?”

_ Gonta: _

“Not done yet, still have questions about

crime!”

**Tsumugi isn’t the culprit **<----------------------------------------

**Full Counter**

The courtroom resets to its previous state. You take control of the debate.

“Everyone, we can’t start the vote yet! There’s a chance that Tsumugi is not the culprit! If we make one mistake, we’ll all have to suffer for it! We can’t get this wrong or we’ll be executed. So listen to me, we have to keep this conversation going!”

“If we can fill in the last few pieces of the puzzle then we’ll know for certain who the real culprit is,” Kibou adds.

“But if Crazy Bitch isn’t the culprit then who is?” Kirumi asks, jutting a thumb to Tsumugi.

“We should lay out what we know for certain and then fill in the gaps afterwards,” you say.

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Backwards Shirt _

> _ Himiko’s Account _

> _ Javelin Pole _

>_ Stain In AV Room _

> _ Kibou’s Autopsy _

“So... you used my voice to lure in Kokichi?” Kaito starts, not as bold as he usually is.

Tsumugi nods, “Yup! It wasn’t too hard to get him to come over.”

“And you snuck up behind him and knocked him out with the shot put ball?” Ryoma continues.

She grins, “That was me too!”

“And once he was knocked out, you took the javelin pole and _ stabbed him in the back _,” Rantaro says.

Tsumugi doesn’t reply to that.

“Finally, you stuffed him in the hidden bookcase in the library,” Kiyo finishes.

“Right again!” She beams, holding herself tightly, “How delightful to see everyone working together.”

“...R-right, I-I see.” Shuichi mutters to himself.

\-->_ Backwards Shirt _

**Counter!**

“Wait, I don’t think Kokichi was stabbed in the back,” you say. 

“What makes you so sure?” Rantaro asks.

“During the investigation, Shuichi asked about the clothes on the body. I didn’t think it meant much now but... it may have been deliberate.”

“R-really?” Shuichi stutters in disbelief.

“Yeah, you said something about Kokichi’s shirt being the wrong way around. The blood stain is on his back so we’d assume he’d been impaled there, right?” You tap your fingers on your chin, “But then, that doesn’t line up with the other evidence we have.”

\--> _ Kokichi’s Cardigan _

“If Kokichi were stabbed in the back, wouldn’t the cardigan have a massive, pink blood stain there too?” 

Kiyo taps their chin, “I assumed he had taken it off before leaving his dorm. I do not doubt your words, I do believe you but I think this needs a closer inspection.”

“But his cardigan was found under a stack of gym mats in the warehouse. Why would he leave it there?” Maki says.

“Perhaps he had an engagement with another student and didn’t need it.” Kiyo looks at you expectedly.

_ You believe me but you don’t believe me? What does that mean? _

Probably that you need to use the other piece of evidence to convince them.

\--> _ Kokichi’s Sandals _

“Okay, then explain to me why there is blood on the insides of his sandals which were also found under the gym mats.”

Kiyo raises a brow. 

You continue, “If Kokichi was really stabbed in the back then the splatters on the insides don’t make any sense. Either there would be no stains or they would be limited to the back of the sandals. I think the culprit was trying to trick us into thinking he’d been stabbed in the back.”

Kibou speaks up, “I can confirm. While investigating the body, I found there was no wound on the back.”

“Y-you felt him up?!” Miu screams, “Holy shit, he’s a soldier and a necrophile!”

“No, I was not doing anything of that nature!”

“If you knew where the wound was, why didn’t you say anything earlier?” Maki asks.

“I... I guess I assumed everyone else knew. I may have... forgotten to tell you.”

“_ I forgot _? Really? That’s the best you’ve got?” Kirumi says, still suspicious.

Rantaro steers the conversation, “What puzzles me is the fact that the blood is contained at the toes of the sandals. If Kokichi was stabbed in the front...”

“...wouldn’t the victim have to be sitting up right? Was he leaning against anything in the warehouse?”

“Oh, you mean the blood would have to be spurting at an angle to reach his sandals,” Kirumi says.

Kaito shudders, “You didn’t have to say that.”

“I don’t recall any shelves with blood on them. At least, not an excessive amount,” Ryoma says.

“But the blood would be shooting _ away _ from it,” Rantaro corrects.

_ Where was all the blood again? _

“Wasn’t it in the middle of the room?”

“Yeah but there’s no way Kokichi would be able to lean on anything in the middle of the room,” Maki adds.

“What if Kokichi fall to ground and sit up and then get stabbed?” Gonta asks.

Kibou shakes his head, “I doubt Kokichi would have had the strength to sit up if he was rendered unconscious.”

_ So what kept him up right? _

Tsumugi starts rocking from side-to-side. She’s bored. You hate that she’s bored by all of this. You wish she would just take this seriously and give you an answer. She won’t, of course. But maybe... there’s something obvious you’ve overlooked.

You hear Shuichi whispering something to Kaito.

“Hey! Care to share with the rest of the fucking class?” Miu shouts even though she’s standing right next to Shuichi.

Kaito barks back, “He was just trying to tell me his theory! You don’t have to shout about it!”

“I-it wasn’t th-that important,” Shuichi mumbles.

“No, that’s wrong,” you say, “we leave no stone unturned, no theory unexplored. You should share your theory.”

“Plus, we all die if we get it wrong,” Angie shrugs.

“Yeah, no pressure,” Ryoma sighs.

After some fidgeting in place, Shuichi clears his throat. “S-so... we all s-said that there is an a-accomplice, right?” he starts. Several people nod. “D-do you think that there’s a chance th-that _ they _ were propping him up?”

“I-instead of leaning a-against a wall, or something, wh-what if the culprit st-stabbed him while s-sometone sat him up?”

Kibou looks deep in thought. He folds his arms. “Tsumugi would already be behind Kokichi because of the shot put ball. It’s likely she would have also been capable of holding him up while the culprit retrieved the javelin pole.”

Tsumugi bounces her skirt and swishes it around. 

Kiyo folds their arms, “Why would the culprit wish to carry out an elaborate trick?”

“Were they trying to make Tsumugi seem more suspicious?” Tenko asks.

“If Tsumugi had snuck up behind him, we would naturally assume she had also stabbed behind him,” Ryoma adds.

Kibou looks at Kokichi’s portrait. “But since he was stabbed in the front, we can conclude that the culprit set it up that way to trick us.”

“Well? Is there anything you’d like to say to that, Tsumugi?” you pointedly ask.

Her eyes light up. “Wow, you figured out the trick really quickly! As should be expected from an Ultimate Fashionista, you noticed it right away!”

Shuichi looks away and doesn’t respond.

“While we’re asking Tsumugi questions,” Angie pipes up, “what exactly were you carrying when you left the dorms?”

Tsumugi taps her fingers together, “Sorry but revealing that would give everything away. I can’t let this be too easy or the hope that will come after won’t be as rewarding.”

Angie leans on their podium, “I understand that you think you can hide your secrets from God but that is a lie told by the foolish human conscious.”

“How terrifying!” she replies with excitement.

You take a deep breath. “Getting back to the topic at hand, we should continue with what we know about the case.”

“These are the facts as we know them,” Kibou begins, “At 12:51 A.M, Kokichi and Himiko left the dorms together. Kokichi left to go to the bathroom while Himiko continued to the school store. Sometime around 1:00 A.M, Kirumi came down into the school store too. Kirumi also heard Kaito’s voice coming from outside the store.”

“Which we now know was actually Tsumugi,” Maki says.

Kibou nods, “Right. Tsumugi lured Kokichi into the warehouse and knocked him out with a shot put ball.”

“I’d like to ask you a question,” Tenko interrupts.

“What about?” Kibou asks.

“If Kokichi had indeed been knocked unconscious, is it possible to estimate the amount of time he was out?”

Kibou taps his face, “It’s... hard to tell. But I could give an estimate.”

“What’s your estimate?”

“He... wouldn’t have been out for long. Disoriented and confused, maybe.” He looks down at his boots. “Sorry, I’m not entirely sure.”

“It’s okay, let’s keep going,” you say.

“After Kokichi was knocked out, the culprit used a javelin pole to impale Kokichi, killing him within a couple of seconds. Then, Tsumugi carried the body downstairs into the AV room, waited for me to leave the library and shoved Kokichi into the bookcase.”

Miu groans. “Yeah, you say “culprit” and I hear “Tsumugi.” Tell me again how she _ isn’t _ the killer?”

“We’ve been over this. Someone else was there when the murder happened because of the body discovery announcement,” you sigh.

“Now that I think about it,” Kiyo says, “what’s stopping our culprit from having _ two _ accomplices?”

“Uh, the fact that there would be no benefit to it?” Kirumi points out.

“But the fact that Tsumugi could be an accomplice already removes the defence of reason,” Ryoma continues.

Himiko looks off in thought. “And the body discovery announcement plays when three _ or more _ people show up. If there were two accomplices then Kaede and Kibou finding the body would also trigger the announcement.”

“So with that in mind, the suspects are back to whoever was out of their room and had only one other person with them,” Tenko concludes.

Angie bounces in place, “That would be Kibou, Tsumugi, Rantaro, Maki and Miu!”

“Assuming Tsumugi is still not the culprit, that takes her out of the equation,” Kiyo adds.

“Ha! I was right, Maki is totally the culprit!” Miu shouts.

“You’re a suspect too,” Maki spits back.

“Wait, I don’t think this is right,” you say, “why are we assuming there are two accomplices?”

“Yeah, that doesn’t make any sense!” Kaito agrees.

“We should explore all possibilities or risk being executed,” Kiyo explains, creepily calm about it.

Tsumugi stares at you, blank expression.

_ No, we’re off on the wrong track. I need to steer this the right way. Even if... that means lying. _

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Monokuma File 1 _

> _ Rantaro’s Account _

> _ Kibou’s Autopsy _

> _ Paint on Ground _

“We shouldn’t rule out the possibility of two accomplices,” Ryoma begins, “so let’s go over who still doesn’t have a proper alibi.”

Angie lists them again, “Kibou, Rantaro, Maki and Miu!”

“Kibou and Miu were all by themselves but Maki and Rantaro claim to have been together,” Tenko continues.

Maki folds her arms, “I told you, I didn’t do it. Rantaro was with me.”

“But with the idea of two accomplices, that doesn’t mean anything,” Kiyo says.

“_ Maki and Rantaro _ could’ve teamed up with Tsumugi and one of them could be the culprit!” Miu chimes in. “Boo-yah! Case solved!”

“This is completely ridiculous,” Rantaro sighs.

“That’s something only an accomplice would say,” Himiko drawls.

\--> _ Rantaro’s Account/ _ \--> _ Kaede’s Account _

**Perjury**

“S-sorry! I forgot to tell you something,” you stutter out. 

“Forgot...?” Gonta prompts.

“I-I was also out the whole night. I only got back when the morning announcement played so Angie didn’t see me. I... I was outside in the garden and saw Maki and Rantaro go in the lab. They didn’t come out until after the murder had already happened. So they couldn’t have committed the crime!”

“You do realise that also makes you a suspect, correct?” Kiyo raises a brow at you. 

“N-no it doesn’t!” Kibou shouts.

Rantaro reels a bit. “Huh?”

“Because... I t-tasked her to go outside. W-we met up before and afterwards to discuss our plan.” It’s physically painful to see how hard he’s trying to keep up this lie.

Miu gives you a dirty look.

“Y-yeah! He scouted the library and I-I was checking around outside.”

Miu gives you an even dirtier look.

“We were together for most of the night. I asked Kaede to check on whoever was in the lab.”

“That turned out to be Rantaro and Maki.”

“Yes, Rantaro and Maki.”

“And neither of them left during the time of the murder!”

“And since Kaede and I were the ones who discovered the body and triggered the announcement, it wasn’t us either!”

Tenko folds her arms, “And you decide to tell us now and not before because...?”

“Um...” you scramble your brain looking for more excuses.

“Kaede was still suspicious of the mastermind. She stayed out late so she could survey the area. If the mastermind knew, she would become a target so she tried to keep her location as secretive as possible. I agreed to do my best to keep it quiet but seeing as she’s... blurted it out for my sake, I think it’s useless to keep up the charade.”

You stare at Kibou. _ How did he come up with that? He sucks at lying. _

The uneasy silence wears on your nerves. Maki and Rantaro give you and Kibou questioning looks. Angie shrugs, convinced by the possibility that you were never in the dorms. Tsumugi doesn’t say anything.

Kiyo, looking unconvinced, clears their throat, “I suppose that would close the book on that theory.”

“Guess so,” Ryoma agrees.

You try to sigh as quietly as possible.

“Tch, told you,” Kirumi says, shaking her head, “no point in having two accomplices. ‘Cause either way, they die.”

“We have to analyse every possibility,” Tenko chides.

“Analyse my ass.”

Tenko huffs and looks away.

“Getting back on track,” Rantaro continues, “with the possibility of two accomplices off the table, what does that leave us with?”

Kaito folds his arms, “We had Kibou, Tsumugi, Rantaro, Maki and Miu originally.”

“Due to Maki and Rantaro’s alibis, that takes them out of the equation,” Kiyo says.

“Which leaves Kibou, Tsumugi and Miu.”

Kirumi twirls her hair, “Yeah but Kaede was with Kibou so Kibou apparently isn’t the culprit either.”

Rantaro, Maki and Kibou do not correct her. You have to keep your mouth shut.

“Hey, I have an alibi!” Miu shouts.

“Right, Himiko ran into you,” Kaito says.

Angie bounces from foot to foot, “So... Tsumugi is the last one left?”

“Well, yeah. She admitted it, didn’t she?” says Himiko.

“So that’s it?” Kaito asks, “Tsumugi killed Kokichi?”

“Seems like it,” Ryoma says.

_ Wait, hold on... _

_ ... _

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Monokuma File 1 _

> _ School Regulations _

> _ Himiko’s Account _

> _ Javelin Pole _

> _ Clump of Hair _

Kirumi puts her hands to her hips, “But didn’t we just fight to not start the vote?”

“There are no more suspects!” Miu yells with conviction, “No-one else was out at the time of the murder and even if they were, _ they all have sealed alibis _!”

“Tsumugi was the first to leave the dorms and the last to come back. She had no alibi the whole time and knew about the hidden bookcase,” Ryoma summarises.

“Plus, she admitted to doing most of the crime,” Angie adds.

“So let’s hurry up and go home,” Himiko sighs.

“...How hopeless,” Tsumugi grins while looking into your eyes. “I really thought you Ultimates could see the lie. Oh well, _ this will work too. _”

\--> _ Himiko’s Account _

**Counter!**

“Wait, Miu, of course there are more suspects! Weren’t you also out at the time of murder?”

“Hm? Yeah, I was shitting. So?”

You cringe. “But... what you said earlier...” 

_ “Wait, you’re asking about Tsumugi’s alibi too?” Miu asks. _

_ “Yes, why wouldn’t we?” _

_ “Cuz I saw her leaving as I was entering the bathroom.” _

“You gave Tsumugi an alibi. You claim you were the only one who saw her last night.”

Miu narrows her eyes, “So what?”

“But we know that Tsumugi wasn’t really in the bathroom! She was in the warehouse waiting to lure in Kokichi!”

Kiyo catches your train of thought, “If that’s the case then your alibi no longer applies.”

“...What?” 

“If Tsumugi was your accomplice, that would explain why the body discovery announcement went off when Kaede and I found Kokichi in the library,” Kibou says.

“You knowing about the AV room isn’t unreasonable either. In fact, you made me look at terrible movies during the investigation,” Rantaro adds.

“And why you were in the bathroom for forty minutes!” Angie calls.

Something flashes over Shuichi’s face. “Himiko, h-how did you run into Miu?”

“Nyeh? What do you mean?”

“W-was she in a h-hurry?”

Himiko looks away in thought. “Yeah, big hurry. She laughed at me and then called me a bunch of names.”

“Quit changin’ the subject. If we’re this desperate for a different culprit then I think it’s just a huge waste of time!” Miu shouts.

“O-oh, sorry,” Shuichi whimpers pathetically.

You speak up, “Speaking of which, there’s some pretty damning evidence that proves you could’ve done it. Both you and Himiko admitted that Himiko dropped paint all over you. If you were carrying the cardigan, of course there would be paint all over it too!”

“Again with the cardigan?” Kirumi groans.

Miu turns her scowl to you, “You can’t prove I was carrying that thing! Do I look like a fucking clothes stealer?! Why would I carry around that little shit’s cardigan?!”

“I can prove you were carrying it!”

\--> _ Paint on Ground _

“The paint spilled on the ground where Himiko ran into you matches the paint on the cardigan; Blue, green, black and white! And because Himiko already has an alibi thanks to Shuichi and Kirumi, the only other person who could’ve done it is you!”

“Your logic makes no fuckin’ sense. Angie saw me come back to my room and that little weirdo can tell you I had no paint on me!”

“But Angie can also tell you that Tsumugi came out of the dorms holding something pink.” You direct your next question to Angie, “Can you describe exactly what Tsumugi was carrying?”

They tilt their head, “It was like pink with some white and gold and blue. It looked like fabric except for the gold bits, they looked shiny.”

“J-just like Miu’s clothes,” Shuichi says.

“So Tsumugi brought Miu a spare change of clothes just in case it got dirty,” Tenko says.

“Which would prove the two worked together,” Ryoma concludes.

“Hey, don’t go jumping’ on the bandwagon you worthless pleb,” Miu shouts, “I’m not gonna be convicted by some small dick nobody who pretends to be special. Go sit in a corner and disappear!”

Ryoma is taken aback. He looks away, heavy sadness in his eyes.

“Miu, if you know what’s good for you, you will leave him alone,” Tenko threatens through grit teeth.

“What are you gonna do? Fan me to death?”

“You’ve forgotten what she did on the first day, haven’t you?” Rantaro sighs.

_ This is so inconsistent with everything I knew about her before. She used to cower from confrontation. What is going on? _

You swing the conversation back into your hands. “And this morning when the alarm rang out,” you point at Miu, “can you explain why you were so close to the basement? Did you tag along with Tsumugi?”

Miu stares blankly. She gives you direct eye contact. “No, I didn’t.”

“But you had to have been close enough to the basement to be one of the first people in, even though you said you wanted your ‘beauty sleep.’”

“That’s just a coincidence! None of that has any proof, you fuckin’ moron!” Miu puts her hands to her hips, “Don’t tell me you’re at your breaking point, Kaeidiot? You callin’ me a killer just so you don’t have to convict your weird girl crush? Is this what it’s about?”

You slam your fist into the podium, “My relationship with Tsumugi has nothing to do with this! We’ve been giving you proof, all you need to do is listen!”

Miu leans forward. “I refuse to listen to a word you have to say! Keep your shitty accusations inside your whore-ass mouth and find some other idiot to pin the blame on!”

_ It’s useless, she’s not listening to me _.

No, she’ll talk. You’ll make her talk. Miu is the culprit, she _ has _ to be.

**Armament**

**Argument**

Quit being an idiot!

You seriously believe I’m the culprit?

I’m too pretty for murder!

I didn’t kill that dumb kid!

So just shut your fuckin’ mouth and choke!

Nothing you’ve said makes any goddamn sense!

Remember when Tsumugi confessed?

Doesn’t that shit matter to you?

One big fuckin detail you missed is the fact that Tsumugi did it!

I was in the bathroom while she knocked him out and stabbed him!

The next words to come out of your mouth better be an apology...

Or I’ll have to come over there and force you to say it!

Tsumugi is the killer and that’s that!

** _ TSUMUGI IS AN ACCOMPLICE _ **

“Tsumugi didn’t need an accomplice because she’s not the one who wanted to kill someone,” you look Miu right in the eyes, “_ you _ needed an accomplice to help you carry out the murder! Specifically, you needed someone to help you carry Kokichi’s body to the basement!”

“What?!”

“When Tsumugi and I were investigating, we noticed we couldn’t lift the gym mat by ourselves. I can’t imagine how much harder it would’ve been if there was the added weight of a body on top of it.”

“How do you know the body wasn’t dragged, huh?!”

“The blood outside the warehouse was too far splattered to have dripped so close to the ground. Plus, the mat was completely soaked in blood, we could barely unstick it from the carpet!”

She slams her hands on the podium, “Gonta’s strong enough to lift a body on his own, why aren’t you suspecting him?!”

“He can’t be the culprit because he stayed in his room the whole night! You don’t have an alibi!”

“Yes I do, I gave you one at the beginning! Tsumugi saw me—”

“That can’t work anymore because now we know Tsumugi was an accomplice which can only mean that you were the culprit!”

Miu huffs, her nostrils flare like she’s a beast. Pure rage is in her eyes. Her fingers coil around the podium and the wood creaks under her. She shakes violently. 

Then... silence. She stops shaking.

“Fine,” she says.

“Huh?”

“I said, “fine.” I’m done. I’m finished.” Miu leans back. Her voice is flat, her face is unresponsive.

“S-so you admit it?” you say.

She shrugs, “Yeah, I killed Kokichi.”

“W-why are you so casual about this?” Kirumi asks.

“It’s whatever. It’s not like I care much about what’s illegal,” Miu looks away, “actually, there aren’t any laws stating that I _ can’t _ kill someone here. Why shouldn’t I?”

Kaito shouts hard enough to spit, “Because killing is wrong! Are you even hearing yourself?! Even children know that!”

“That’s quite the assumption you’ve got there. Simple statements like _ killing is wrong _ mean nothing if you cannot grasp the true spectrum of right and wrong,” Miu folds her arms. “For example, say I killed Kokichi because I was afraid to die with all of my closest friends. Say I would rather sacrifice myself to save everyone else from a time limit than wipe out everyone all in one go. Would the statement _ killing is wrong _ still be justified? Or would my claim be more so?”

“B-but...”

She shakes her head. “Of course, that is not the case. I wouldn’t sacrifice my life for others, not to mention the fact that none of us are friends. Random strangers put together in a prison school for five days is not what would make for a class of _ friends _.”

You’re left in a stunned silence. After all this time, Miu was lying to everyone. She lied about her identity, her true self, her alibi and her innocence. A cold persona like this should make it easier to convict her but... you can’t help but think this is wrong. Is this another lie? A coping mechanism helping her with her fear? Is she afraid of dying? 

_ Isn’t everyone? _

Tsumugi claps childishly, “You did it! You solved the case! Now you just need to end it properly!”

“What do you mean by “end it properly”?” you ask.

“When the detective puts all of the pieces together, they summarise everything that happened in the case like a dramatic conclusion to the novel. It’s super cool.”

You look at everyone else. Nobody seems to object to this. Kiyo tilts their head as if saying _ she’s got a point. _

You sigh. “Alright, I’ll try.”

**Closing Argument**

“Um... it all began days ago, when Monokuma gave us the motive. Though the murder would take place several days after, the introduction of the First Blood Perk is what triggered the crime. After the announcement, some of the group decided to split up and join groups in order to plan for our next move. Kibou and I had formed ours but some pairs were less obvious.”

“The culprit already had an idea for murder in mind but it was their partner, Tsumugi, that proved to be the puppeteer to it all. Two days ago, Tsumugi convinced the culprit that they should work together in exchange for disregarding the First Blood Perk. The culprit agreed and the plan was set into motion. It should also be noted that while Kibou and I were investigating the library and planning to catch the mastermind, Tsumugi had also discovered the secret bookcase.”

“Which brings us to the events of last night. The culprit must have given Tsumugi a spare change of clothes sometime before nighttime had started. Angie stayed up all night watching the dorms. They saw Tsumugi leave at 12:35 A.M. Tsumugi pretended that she was going to the bathroom when in actuality, she was headed for the warehouse.”

“The victim, Kokichi, left his room shortly afterwards at 12:51 and walked with Himiko. They separated and Himiko never saw him again. The culprit left their room at 12:56. They didn’t leave with Tsumugi as that would cause them to look more suspicious.”

“Using her ability to impersonate people, Tsumugi lured Kokichi into the warehouse using Kaito’s voice. Once Kokichi had gone inside, she snuck up behind him and knocked him out with a shot put ball. The culprit then retrieved a javelin pole and impaled it into Kokichi’s chest, piercing his heart and killing him in seconds.”

“Tsumugi and culprit worked quickly to hide their evidence, hastily putting back the javelin pole and shot put ball. The culprit and Tsumugi placed Kokichi on a gym mat and carried him downstairs into the basement. The two had planned to shove Kokichi into the secret bookcase but they couldn’t because Kibou was in the library at that time.”

“While Tsumugi waited with the body, the culprit turned Kokichi’s top around so the blood stain would be on the back. This was done to trick us into thinking he had been stabbed in the back instead of the front. The culprit then took the cardigan with them upstairs. However, while they were in a rush, they ran into Himiko and spilled paint all over themselves and the cardigan. They ran to the warehouse to hide the cardigan and change clothes.”

“The culprit went back into their room and didn’t come out for the rest of the night. Tsumugi, however, was still waiting in the AV room for Kibou to exit the library. When he didn’t leave for a long time, she snuck out of the basement and went back to her room.”

“That morning, Tsumugi ran down to the basement to move Kokichi’s body into the moving bookcase. But she couldn’t carry the gym mat all the way back up the stairs and into the warehouse without getting spotted... so she hid it in the corner of the AV room.”

“Just before Kibou and I met up, Tsumugi walked up the stairs. I had no idea what she had been doing or that Kokichi was dead. Once she left, she must have met up with the culprit. When the body discovery announcement rang, the two ran down together and pretended that they hadn’t done a thing. Kokichi was murdered in cold blood.”

“But the game is up. We see the truth behind your lies... Miu Iruma, the Ultimate Gambler!”

You let out an exhausted sigh. “That’s it... that’s everything.”

“So... you’re the culprit,” Kiyo says.

“Yeah, I am,” she says.

Kaito pounds his fist on the podium, “Damn it! Can’t you at least show some remorse?!”

“There is no need to raise your voice,” Tenko scolds.

“She killed one of our friends! She worked together with a crazy girl to murder one of us! I have every right to raise my voice!”

Maki narrows her eyes, “None of us considered Kokichi a _ friend _.”

“He was mine, Maki!”

Kaito’s heavy breaths fill the room. You stare at him as he hunches over his post. He’s choking. Desperate to cry and scream and be in total uproar. He wipes his face on his arm. He slowly stands upright.

“We didn’t always get along. Hell, he didn’t give a damn that I saved his life on the first day. We argued a lot. But...” he rubs his eye, “he was my... friend. He trusted me and got tricked by Tsumugi. I felt the last couple of hours feeling guilty because I couldn’t stop him from dying.” His words hang heavy in the courtroom.

“Kaito...” you gasp.

“I don’t haveta do that anymore because... it’s all Miu and Tsumugi’s fault!” Kaito ignites, “I don’t care if everyone hated him, there’s no excuse! I had a plan, _ we _ had a plan! Kaede and Kibou had a plan! We could’ve stopped a killing and now Kokichi’s dead!”

Kibou gently raises his arms, “I’m sorry, Kaito. I understand your pain but-”

“Alright, alright. Debate time’s over! Save the rest of the sob stories for the end of the trial!” Monokuma yells.

“Really? The debate’s over?” Monotaro asks.

Monosuke pushes his glasses up, “There’s nothin’ else to discuss if you already know the culprit. That’s how this has been running for years.”

“Alright! Press the button in front of you to cast your vote!” Monophanie says.

“You bastards better vote cuz if you don’t, you’ll be killed! Violently! It’ll be awesome!” Monokid roars.

Monokuma leaps up in his seat, “Finally! The heart-racing excitement as the blackened and the spotless face off!”

“IT’S VOTING TIME!” they all shout in unison.

**Voting Time!**

The screen that read your name fades to black. Then it parts like a curtain to reveal a roster with everyone’s face that are framed similarly to Kokichi’s portrait. When you hover over them, it displays their name and a picture of them. It only makes you question where these pictures are coming from. 

There doesn’t seem to be a clear order to this roster. You’re in the top left corner, Rantaro is beside you on the right and then Miu and then Kokichi. This doesn’t at all match up with how everyone is standing together. It’s not alphabetical based on first name because Angie is in the bottom right next to Himiko. It’s not alphabetical based on last name either since Tenko Chabashira is wedged in between Korekiyo Shinguji and Kirumi Tojo.

...

In the fifteen seconds you’ve wasted analysing this stupid screen, you’ve yet to notice that you’re being timed at the bottom. You only have another fifteen seconds left to vote for the culprit.

You reluctantly press on Miu’s portrait. The screen tells you to wait.

Monokuma laughs from his chair. “It seems the voting has finished. Now then, let’s see the result.”

Above him, a large monitor descends.

_ Jeez, how many screens does this school need? _

It sparks to life and shows everyone’s faces next to a long box. In Miu’s box, a row of red lines form. There is one for Tsumugi. You’re going to guess that was from Miu.

Bells chime from the monitor’s speakers as a picture of Miu pops up beside the tally score.

“Who’ll be chosen as the blackened?!” Monokuma cheers from his chair, “Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one?!”

**VERDICT**

The screen changes. It’s a mechanical roulette wheel with everyone’s faces in place of numbers. Inside the wheel, another lights up acting as the ball. It spins around and around and around. You can feel the room’s tension. Even after Miu’s confession, you still feel your hands becoming clammy.

_ Did she really do it? _

The light slows down. It edges past Himiko. Then Kokichi. Then Tenko. Then Kibou. Just when you think it’s about to stop on Kibou, it moves onto Miu. Her face lights up the wheel and the others disappear.

IRUMA flashes at the top of the wheel. Hundreds and hundreds of coins spill from the bottom of the machine. Your bag becomes heavier.


	10. This Class Trial, My Class Trial - Deadly Life III

**Class Trial: ALL RISE!**

There’s a low vibrating sound from under the floor. Kirumi stumbles a little.

Monokuma clears his throat, “A-hem! Well, it probably goes without saying but you all voted correctly! Congratulations! The blackened who killed Kokichi Oma is the Ultimate Gambler, Miu Iruma!”

The guilty party looks unamused. “Right, I see.”

“Wh-what do you mean...?!” Kaito seeths.

“I have eyes, therefore I see. Forgive me, it seems you have yet to grasp such a concept,” Miu replies with sarcasm dripping in her voice.

“But what about blind people? They have eyes but they can’t see,” Angie asks.

“That is true,” Miu says, “but I knew he wouldn’t think about that. Well done, you’re ahead of the idiot.”

“You know that’s not what he meant,” Kirumi says through clenched teeth.

Miu sighs, “Alright, I know that’s not what he meant but it was a stupid question so I gave him a stupid answer. In all seriousness, this was probably the expected outcome.”

“You didn’t seem to think so when we did it,” says Tsumugi.

Miu shoots her a glare, “Shut up.”

“But what made you do it?” Maki asks.

Miu shrugs, “Boredom.”

“...Boredom?” Maki repeats.

“Correct.”

“Y-you killed someone because you were bored?!” Kaito punches the podium.

Miu leans on her stand. “Yes, I did. I needed something to do. I was planning to kill someone before I was approached by Tsumugi.”

You turn to Tsumugi, “Why did you approach Miu?”

“I couldn’t let a whole class of Ultimates die just like that. There needed to be a villain inside the ranks to let the heroes triumph! I could sense Miu’s ambition and offered her... a deal.”

Kirumi’s eyes narrow, “What kind of deal?”

Miu twirls her hair around her finger. “Two days ago, she came up to me while I was planning my murder. She said she would help me kill, hide evidence and take the fall if I promised to not use the First Blood Perk. If I did take it, she said she would steal Kibou’s knife and kill me the second I put my hand up. That’s why she stood so close to me when Monokuma asked who killed Kokichi.”

“So... Tsumugi wanted the trial?” you ask.

“She also said it would prove to be entertaining regardless of whether or not we succeeded,” Miu adds, “I have to admit, it mostly was.”

“Entertaining?” Ryoma mumbles.

“You may not understand, I know how hard it is for normal people to understand.”

“Why do you insist on calling Ryoma  _ normal? _ ” Rantaro asks.

She folds her arms in front of her skirt. “I can smell a normie from a mile away. Helps with gambling. Subtly manipulating your opponents into self-doubt makes for a better outcome. It’s one part luck, one part manipulation, one part skill. I’ve mastered the art of spotting and crippling a normal person.”

“That’s so cruel,” Tenko says.

“But you’re not gambling, there’s no reason to cripple a normal person anyway,” Kirumi says.

Miu shrugs, “I know. I just think it’s fun.”

“If he’s in the Ultimate Academy, doesn’t that make him not normal by default?” Rantaro asks.

“Stop it,” Ryoma says, voice cold and blunt, “I don’t care. This isn’t about me.” 

Himiko tilts her head, “Why did you team up with Tsumugi of all people?”

“She’s a lucky student, I’m a gambler. We made a bet.”

“What?” you say.

“We were testing our luck, that’s why a majority of this case was based around chance.”

“What do you mean by chance? Wasn’t this a calculated plan?” Maki asks.

Miu sighs, “We came up with a plan but the ups and downs were all about luck. It was lucky that Kokichi was our victim. It was lucky that he had talked to Kaito beforehand. It was lucky that Kirumi and Himiko were also out that night. It was lucky that Kibou was in the library. It was lucky that Himiko and I crossed paths. Every twist and turn was determined not by our skill but by chance. We actually made two bets, in that sense.”

“What was the second bet?” Tenko asks.

Tsumugi jumps up, “I bet that her luck would triumph over mine!”

“And I bet that mine would swallow hers.”

You stare with confusion. “How can one person’s luck triumph over someone else’s?”

Tsumugi grins. “Well, one of us has a consistent cycle of luck whereas the other just has good luck. During the case, our luck was in a vicious battle against one another! If I was voted the culprit, I would lose one bet but win the other! My good luck in its cycle overruled Miu’s consistent good luck!”

“If I were voted the culprit, which I was, that would prove my luck is no match for Tsumugi’s.” 

Kaito clenches his fist, “Can we shut the hell up about luck?! You took another person’s life for a stupid bet!”

“That may be true,” Miu says, “but I can assure you it’s the most fun I’ve had in a long, long time.”

“You’re crazy!” Kaito shouts.

“No, she’s a psychopath.”

Kibou’s bold claim turns everyone’s heads, except for Miu’s. She looks over at Monokuma.

“I’ve had to deal with very few but... she seems to be exhibiting all of the signs of one. Lack of empathy, manipulative, high sense of self, shallow affect, need for stimulation and so on,” he explains.

Miu trembles, “Ps-psychopath? J-just because I can’t express myself properly d-doesn’t mean I’m—”

“Give it up, we know you don’t mean it,” you interrupt.

“You’re no fun.” She folds her arms.

“...Is this who you really are?” Rantaro asks.   
Miu spares him a glance, “Hm? Maybe. I could be lying. Perhaps my true self goes by a different name. For all you know, I could be from Russia. I could secretly be the prime minister of Australia. I could be whoever you want me to be as long as it can justify a reason for you to believe I exist.”

“What do you mean by that?” you ask.

“Let me state the truth,” she turns to address the group as a whole, “I feel no remorse for killing Kokichi. I made a bet with Tsumugi about whether or not I could get away with murder. Of course, I had planned to kill her regardless but the unpredictability of this case has made it difficult for me to acquire a weapon. I have lied to everyone about my persona to lower everyone’s guard and drive suspicion away from myself.” She stares ahead, no light is in her eyes. “How do you justify that? Do you feel empathy? Do you pretend I’m lying? Do you choose to believe I am some weak, traumatised girl with a tragic backstory?”

“Jeez, that trope’s already been done to death,” Tsumugi adds.

“Shut up,” Kirumi chides.

“Well, this is all good and nice but now it’s time for something a little more interesting!” Monokuma declares.

“...I-interesting?” Shuichi stutters out. He looks ready to collapse. Kirumi preemptively walks behind him.

“And now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Punishment time!”

“Hey, Kaede,” Miu says.

“What?” 

She confidently strides to you and fiddles through her hair. “Y’know, with some work, you’d made for a pretty good liar.”

You step back, “What... makes you say that?”

“For a good lie to work, you need a certain amount of trust. Everyone believed my lies because they trusted I was exactly what they imagined me to be. You, however, seem to have a lot of trust regardless of the persona you display. People don’t trust your image, they trust  _ you. _ ”

She slips the baby blue scrunchie from her hair and holds it out for you. You hesitate. Annoyed, she takes your hand and shoves the scrunchie into it.

“You might be a bit rusty at first but it gets easier, trust me. Most lies are often twists of the truth,” she offers a smirk, “you’d make for an excellent deceiver.”

“Why are you telling me this?” you ask.

“If I’m going to die, I can’t just let my influence stop with me. I need you to continue my legacy.” 

_ That doesn’t sound like something she’d just openly admit. _

“Was that a lie?”

She smiles, “Such strong arms to carry my torch.”

“Now then, I have prepared a very special punishment for the Ultimate Gambler, Miu Iruma!” Monokuma cheers.

Miu turns on her heels and casually strolls up the steps and to the centre of the podiums. She then faces the group with a hollow grin, just like what she used to do before. She pops a stick of gum into her mouth and chews obnoxiously. 

“You fuckin’ slugs better clean your eyeballs and take a good look ‘cause this is the last time you’ll ever be graced by a goddess! The Lusty Lady Luck leaves you all to your sorry lives!” Miu cackles hysterically.

“Let’s give it everything we’ve got! It’s... PUNISHMENT TIIIME!”

Monokuma reaches behind himself for something as a big, red button rises in front of him. He pulls out a gavel and twirls it in his paw, showing it off to the courtroom. He bounces in his seat and performs a front flip before slamming the gavel into the button.

**GAME OVER**

Miu has been found guilty.

Time for the punishment!

For a while, nothing happens. The air is thick, it threatens to swallow you whole. Miu stops laughing. She pumps her fists and looks left-to-right. Some faces show disgust, others show fear. You happen to be very, very afraid.

Kirumi is the first to hear it. She grabs Shuichi and pulls him to the back of the group. At the same time, something falls from the endlessly high ceiling. You barely catch a glimpse of the contraption before it’s around Miu’s neck. The rope tied to it pulls, tugging on Miu for a moment. Then it sends her flying into the air. Miu herself is grinning. The ascent is slow at first, most likely to keep her from being strangled too early, but she’s gone in a flash.

The courtroom’s walls begin to open like doors. You and the rest of the group run through it. The room is massive, indescribably so. The checker-board floor opens to let a giant machine through. It’s a stage.

From above, another door opens. Miu falls from the ceiling and on her knees. Kirumi winces. Chains from above wrap around Miu’s wrists and ankles. On the other ends are the Monokubs. They pull her to her feet. She stands like a puppet. She wriggles in the chains. She isn’t smiling anymore.

**Lady Luck’s Last Dance**

_ Ultimate Gambler _

_ Miu Iruma’s execution: Executed _

The Monokubs begin to tug on the chains, each limb flailing in its own separate direction. Plucky music plays somewhere. Miu rolls her eyes. She twists and writhes and pulls and tugs on the chains. She stops to catch her breath. She pulls harder, tugs more. One arm slips out under the chains. She pulls the other out with it. She falls to her knees and grasps onto the contraption around her neck. She pulls on it but can’t seem to get it off. Monokid and Monotaro run around trying to regain their grip on her. Miu reaches to untie her legs when the Monokubs hoist her up by the legs and send her flying upside down. She swings from side-to-side.

A trapdoor appears under her head, carrying with it a barrel. She looks at her audience. She looks down at the barrel. You can’t see her too well but she looks like she’s closing her eyes. The Monokubs drop her into the barrel and leave her legs dangling out of it. From all sides of the stage, weapons of every kind surround the barrel. Swords, flame throwers, bombs, guns, saws. If it hurts, it’s here. Kirumi cries out. She screams as tears pour down her face. Whatever she’s hearing isn’t good. 

Just as everything is fired up, whirring, sharpened and lit, Miu’s legs fall limp. Monokuma pulls out a big red button. Everyone holds their breath. Monokuma presses the button. Monodam kicks Monosuke onto the stage. Everything fires at once. Bombs explode. Blades slash. Fire burns it all down. Flames and blood and machinery fly everywhere. It’s the very definition of overkill.

A melted Monosuke head rolls to your feet. Some sparks from the fire drift onto the floor. You choke on the thick air. Once the smoke clears, the stage has well and truly collapsed. Monokuma puts out the fires with a hose as if this was common procedure. The remaining Monokubs stare down at Monosuke’s head.

You stand and stare in horror. Heavy emptiness fills your heart. Your chest may explode. Your soul could fall to the centre of the Earth.

Your legs give way. Gripping the scrunchie tight, you begin to sob into your hands. If you had the strength, you would scream something. It would be loud, incomprehensible and raw. In some other reality, you could’ve been happy and together. Sitting under that tree, chasing after each other and grinning. Smiles and cheers and jokes and japes. You stare into the burning wreck of machine, throne and blood.

_ She was so close. _

And you actually wanted her to live. That was the weirdest part. It was no less heartbreaking. The one you knew as Miu Iruma... no longer exists. Just like the first day you came here, you feel exhausted and weak. When you thump the ground, it hurts. It hurts and nothing more. Kokichi isn’t here to distract you this time. 

Your cries ring out through the room. You can hear some sniffles behind you.

Kirumi screams, “Why?! Why did she...?!”

“Wh-what...! Why would... why would that need to...?!” Kibou stutters out.

“F-fuck,” Kaito mumbles with a shaken voice. 

“May she find God and rest in peace, no matter how weird she was on Earth,” Angie prays. Then they sigh, “If only her body was left behind, then I could communicate with her.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Rantaro mutters. There should be some humour in that but there’s none to be found.

“What a horrible way to go,” Kiyo says.

The flames crackle in the distance. The Monokubs walk up to Monosuke’s head.

“Oh my!” Monophanie cries in horror.

“Wha-wha-wha-whaaat?!” Monokid yells.

“Monodam, y-you better have a good explanation for this!” Monotaro interrogates.

“I-DID-IT-FOR-US,” Monodam says. With that, he disappears.

The remaining Monokubs exchange confused looks with each other and then disappear too.

The court room is filled with despair, empty hearts fall to the floor. You’re on your knees, someone is kicking the floor in frustration.

But the worst reaction comes from Shuichi. Just as predicted, he falls onto Kirumi. Then he screams as if he’s in pain. It’s guttural and violent. He jerks in Kirumi’s arms, kicking and screaming until she drops him onto the floor. Wailing and sobbing and choking on his own yells. The group can only stand and stare.

Others aren’t so sympathetic.

“Get up,” Tenko says.

“Not now, don’t do this right now,” Ryoma groans.

“I said “get up,”” Tenko continues.

“Shuichi is in pain!” Kibou objects.

“Not him.”

Tenko kicks you in the side. Her sandals hurt a lot more than you expected. “Quit being pathetic and stand up. You don’t have an excuse like a degenerate male who can’t handle his own emotions. Now get up and face it.”

Kaito reaches for her shoulder. “Tenko, she’s grieving! Let her—”

“I said “stand up,” you degenerate!”

“Wh-why are friends angry with each other?” Gonta asks.

Tenko kicks you again. “Stand up! If your diaphragm is being pushed while you’re sitting down, it’ll make it harder to take deep breaths! Deep breathing calms you down and cleanses the spirit! Are you even listening to me? Kaede, stand up!”

Something hard rests in your palm. Hidden in the folded scrunchie sits metal. You open your hand and let it fall flat on your skin. It’s a key without the chain. She must have slipped it with her scrunchie. 

_ Or... she kept it in her hair the whole time. _

You would have expected the fake Miu to have stuffed it somewhere else but... you never really knew the real Miu until a few minutes before she died. Why would she give you her key?

...

“K-Kaede...?” Shuichi interrupts. His weak voice cuts through everything else. It’s small and sad and fragile but it’s clear. The fogginess in your mind clears only for him.

Tenko is about to kick you again when something grabs her.

“Maki?!” Kibou shouts.

You look up to see Tenko with her feet barely touching the ground. Maki is holding her by the neck. There’s intense rage in her eyes.

“I don’t care about your stupid spirituality or whatever but forcing it onto Kaede isn’t going to fix anything. You’re just making everyone more angry.”

“Maki, violence isn’t the answer,” Kiyo says.

“You’re one to talk,” Maki spits.

“M-Maki, please! I-if you kill her, y-you d-die too!” Shuichi pleas.

“I’m not killing her, I’m warning her.”

“Stop it, she’s only trying to help,” you say.

Maki stares down at you. She watches you stand to your feet. You wipe your face with your sleeve. Tenko watches you with only her eyes.

“Please,” you say just above a whisper.

Maki lets go. Tenko steps back, rubbing at her throat. She looks at you for a moment.

You slip Miu’s scrunchie onto your wrist, it sits beside Kokichi’s bracelet. You crouch down to Shuichi. He looks up at you. His red eyes still leak tears.

“K-Kaede, y-you’re...”

When he doesn’t finish, you reach a hand to him. He looks at it.

“If you can’t get up on your own, we can ask Gonta to carry you to your room,” you smile. It’s weak, you can feel your cheeks trying to close in on it.

Shuichi shivers on the floor. He clutches onto his own clothes. The colour is lost on his face. He looks away.

You stand up. “Gonta, could you carry Shuichi to the dorms?”

Gonta nods.

“Kirumi and Kibou, you should go with them.”

“Got it,” Kirumi says.

“I’ll do my best to see what’s wrong,” Kibou pumps his fists.

Tsumugi claps her hands and smiles, “How wonderful. Even after this soul-crushing despair, you’re still working as hard as you can!”

You stop Maki with your arm. “Kiyo and Rantaro, you’re keeping an eye on Tsumugi. Don’t let her walk back alone.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that. If Maki does decide to kill me, I’ve already prepared a plan so she’ll get away with it this time.”

Maki grits her teeth. “You sick freak. If it weren’t for you, two people wouldn’t have died.”

Tsumugi's face goes blank. She looks... offended.

You really have to hold Maki back. “I’ve changed my mind. Rantaro, you walk with Maki. I’ll watch Tsumugi with Kiyo.”

“Are you sure?” Rantaro asks.

“Yes. Just...” you pinch the bridge of your nose, “yes, make sure Maki gets to her room. We’re all going to need... a big rest.”

Rantaro walks to Maki. He rests a hand on your shoulder. “Okay, if you say so.” He leans close to your ear, “Thank you, by the way. For what you said in the trial.”

You gulp. 

_ Right, the lie. _

He lets go and escorts Maki out of the courtroom. Gonta picks up Shuichi like a sack of flour and carries him to the elevator with Kirumi and Kibou close behind.  The others stand around as if waiting for an order.

So you give them one. “Let’s go get to the dorms. We should rest and meet up again tomorrow.”

“Including the crazy one?” Himiko asks.

You sigh, “Yes, especially her.”

“I was planning on meeting up anyway. After all, I couldn’t possibly miss a chance to see all the Ultimates again! Well, minus two,” Tsumugi says.

“I think it would be advisable for you to keep your mouth shut,” Tenko says, her voice a little raspy.

Tsumugi makes a zipping motion over her lips. The fact she’s still smiling through this is insulting.

“I think being a little insensitive in a situation like this will boost morale,” Kiyo plays with their chains, “best to distract ourselves from darker thoughts, even with uncharacteristically high hopes.”

“I suppose,” Ryoma shrugs.

“Still doesn’t stop it from being creepy,” Himiko adds.

A couple of sounds of agreement later and everyone turns their back and heads for the elevator. You stand to the left of Tsumugi and Kiyo stands on her right. Ryoma looks up at you with concern but continues on. The three of you walk together into the elevator. As soon as Tsumugi enters, everyone else steps away. You can’t say you blame them. 

The trip up feels a lot shorter than the way down. You watch everyone else leave and make their way to the dorms. You look up at Kiyo. They seem to be thinking about something. You would ask... but it’s been a long day. So long that even though you started investigating this morning, it’s already dark outside. You keep a close eye on Tsumugi as the three of you walk her to her room. 

She gives a wave as she opens her door. She didn’t lock it, nor does she when she goes inside. Kiyo offers to stand guard at her door in case she does anything in the night. You tell them not to bother.

_ Something tells me she isn’t going to try that again. _

They nod and say goodnight. Waving goodbye, you fish through your bag for your keys.

...

You look down at your wrist. You feel like you should at least try to have some kind of goodbye with them, now that you wear some part of them. 

You take out Miu’s key and push it into the lock. To your surprise, it clicks. You pull open the door. Her room looks a lot like yours with the same colours and layout. The few changes are almost unnoticeable. You step inside and close the door behind you.

On her bedside table sits a collection of hair spray. Some of them have the ridiculous labels you expect from the school store like “ _ Sticky Hair Juice _ ” and “ _ Baby’s Butt Smooth Conditioner 9,000 _ ” but you can’t help but smile at the ones with much more normal names like " _ Princess’Royal Hairspray _ ” and “ _ Bubblegum Gel. _ ” It’s... strangely adorable. You notice a familiar label near the edge closest to the bed.

_ The Vague Smell of Victory. _

You’re curious if she ever used it. Not enough to check but curious. The fact she took it inside at all is nice.

Well, as nice as it is coming from a psychopath. Should you even be sad? Surely, Kokichi deserves more grief. Isn’t it wrong to feel sad for a killer? Is it right to think her death was too cruel? What would have been just? If she had been executed in the traditional sense, would you feel less conflicted? Is a beheading more humane? But a murderer shouldn’t be considered human. Should they?

...

“I wish you weren’t a killer,” you say aloud.

Speaking your mind seems to distract you from the things you could be thinking. You look around the room some more. It’s not like you can have any memories here. There are cards and poker chips at her table. She... really died doing the thing she loved. As messed up as it was at the time, it’s depressing to think she lost her life to a bet. You kind of wish you played with her. She did hate your guts for a few days but if hindsight will teach you anything it’s that you can’t predict when someone will die. Is that encouraging or sad?

“I wish we hung out more,” you say.

Considering how her act kept her away from suspicion for a majority of the trial, it’s kind of genius how she plays. A gambler could cheat and bluff all they like but at the end of the day, it’s about luck and strategy. She convinced you she had neither. If she had played with you, maybe she would say more raunchy jokes and teases and insults while sweeping the game with her hand. Maybe she would have bragged and thrown a couple of games to lower your guard down during the first few rounds before making an  _ unexpected _ comeback and taking all of her chips back. 

You’ll never know. Maybe that’s the part you’re actually sad about.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t stop this.”

You flip over one hand. You don’t really know how poker works but the cards are ascending from ten, ace, jack, queen and king. All of spades. 

_ What’s this called? _

You wished you had a sheet or something.

You flip over the hand at the other side of the table. This one has a joker on one side of the hand and the rest are all aces. This... seems like a really good hand. What are the chances of this? Was this set up as a decoration or was this a real game? Who could have gotten such ridiculous hands?

...

Actually...

Knowing everything, it was probably Tsumugi and Miu. Which hand belonged to who, you’re not certain. But something tells you that these two played together frequently. You could ask Tsumugi but... no, that doesn’t seem likely. Given everything she's done, you don't think you can muster the courage to talk to her. Least of all about the person she associated with.

Still, you would’ve liked to see them play... if only just once.

...

You let your shoulders relax. It’s not emptiness anymore. What comes next is a feeling of satisfaction. You’ll never understand Miu, nor do you need to. She was your classmate, she wanted to escape. Though you couldn’t save her, that’s not your problem anymore. It’s sad, yes, but true. In the end, it’s truth that’s telling you to move on. Miu Iruma is dead, that is true.

You turn around and walk out of the room. You’re about to close the door. You trace your fingers over the frame.

“Goodbye, Miu,” you say.

You close the door and lock it with the key.

**End of Chapter 1. **

**14 students remain.**


	11. Of Devils and Mischief and Prayers - Daily Life I

_ Miu sits at the other end of the table. She gives me a cocky grin. Chewing loudly on her gum, she slaps two cards face-down on the table. _

_ “Two 5’s,” she says. _

_ I cock a brow. “Bullshit.” _

_ She drops her grin, still chewing. She leans over the table and flips over her cards. I was right; she put down a queen and a jack. She collects everything from the table and adds them to her hand. She starts again. _

_ “Three 10’s,” she says. _

_ I skim through my hand. Piling my cards, I put them down. “Three kings.” _

_ She quickly puts together four cards from her hand and slams them down on the pile. “Four 6’s!” _

_ “Bullshit!” _

_ Cackling, she turns over her cards. Just as she said, four 6’s. One from every suite. I sigh as she pushes the cards into my hands. _

_ “The unbeatable Miu strikes again!” she booms. _

_ I stifle a laugh as I sort the new cards into my hand. “Yeah, right. The game’s not over yet.” _

_ She calls bull some rounds, I call bull on others. No matter what, she always knows when I’m lying. It’s not long before she’s set down her final cards and I call. She smiles and flips over the last cards. I groan and drop my hand. _

_ “See? Unbeatable. I’ve been winning my whole life, I don’t expect to lose against a flat-chested beginner like you.” _

_ “You didn’t have to say that,” I sigh. _

_ “But you’ll need to toughen up, right?” she picks up the cards and shuffles them, “No-one’s gonna follow a wimpy limpdick leader. I mean, come on. Can you imagine beta boy-toy leading the group? Or donkey lips?” _

_ “And who is donkey lips again?” _

_ She gestures vaguely, “Y’know, the painter one.” _

_ “Ah,” I say. _

_ “Anyway, point is that a good leader needs to be stronger willed. If you can’t handle people callin’ you a flat-chested loser, how are you gonna lead the pack?” She deals me in. _

_ “My first order of business could be to stop you from calling me a flat-chested loser,” I reply. _

_ She pounds on the table. “That’s not the point! God, if you cared enough to do that then that’s showing your group that you’re a fucking weakling! Plus, ignoring it won’t help. You’re not that good of a liar.” _

_ I don’t say anything for a while. She starts the game again. Every time she sets down a pair, I just put down another. This game goes even faster than the last. She calls all of my bullshit and I don’t call anything back. She throws her last cards on the table. _

_ “Jeez, that was boring,” she complains. _

_ “Tell me about it,” Kokichi sighs. _

_ I roll my eyes, “Well, I’m sick of playing bullshit. Can we play something else?” _

_ Kokichi slides all of the cards his way and shuffles through them. “Let’s change it up a bit! We’re gonna play snap!” _

_ Miu groans, “There’s no fucking skill in snap! It’s just chance and then shouting!” _

_ “There is skill! You gotta slap the deck as quickly as possible!” Kokichi says. He cuts the deck into thirds and swings back in his chair. _

_ “Could be slapping something else right now,” Miu grumbles. _

_ I take my third and flip over the first card. Miu follows, then Kokichi. We continue like this for a few seconds. With every new card, the air gets more tense. I’m leaning into my deck at this point. 5, 7, ace, 2, jack, 4, 4 _—

_ “SNAP!” _

_ “FUCK!” _

_ Miu flicks her wrist from pain. Kokichi gleefully shoves the cards under his deck. _

_ “Pesky fucking gremlin. Stupid shit-ass fucking...” Miu mumbles. _

_ Kokichi turns his head to me. “Kaede, you didn’t even try.” _

_ “I was trying. I just... don’t have a good reaction time.” My excuse is poor, I can sense Miu calling bullshit. _

_ Kokichi starts the round again. 7, queen, 3, 9, 8, king, 6, 6 _—

_ “Snap!” _

_ “Shit,” says Miu. _

_ Kokichi pouts childishly, “You wanted to change the game, can’t you at least commit?” _

_ “Like I said, I don’t have a good reaction time.” _

_ “Excuses, excuses,” he sighs, pulling the cards into his deck. “Y’know, you could stand to have a stronger voice.” _

_ I rest my head on my hand, “What do you mean by that?” _

_ “Well, everyone listened to you on the first day ‘cause they thought you had a plan and, to an extent, you did. Once we called bullshit, you stopped believing you had a plan.” _

_ “Hey, you guys didn’t like my plan and told me to quit it. If anything, it’s your fault I don’t have as much conviction.” _

_ Miu shakes her head, “No, I didn’t like your plan ‘cause it was fucking stupid. Your plan sucked so we needed another one. Your problem was that you stuck with one plan and then shat yourself when it didn’t work.” _

_ “Well, what kind of plan would I even have?” _

_ Kokichi claps a hand over Miu’s mouth, “Hey, you could force everyone to get along! That nearly worked last time.” _

_ I frown, “You’re mocking me, aren’t you?” _

_ “Maybe. I mean, Kirumi and Shuichi are already a pretty good unit. Maki and Rantaro have a weird, secret friendship going on. You could probably get Tenko and Angie on good terms.” _

_ Miu throws Kokichi’s hand off of her face. “Bitch, you know for a fact that’s not gonna work. Listen, as long as there is more than one person living in this school, someone’s gonna kill someone else.” She leans back in her seat and kicks her boots onto the table. “They’re all biding their time, waiting to slaughter the fuck out of each other.” _

_ “Don’t be so negative, you negative nancy!” Kokichi pouts. _

_ “It’s just the truth, for once,” says Miu. _

_ I slide the top card from the deck around. It’s smooth and weirdly relaxing. _

_ What could I do? I can pretend to be a leader all I want but I can’t force anyone to like each other. Plus, Tsumugi is constantly going to wreck the atmosphere because of what she’s done. It would take a lot to convince the group to trust her. Can I even trust her anymore? I don’t know. Then there’s the issue of Tenko and Kirumi and Maki who are all at each other’s throats. And everyone not trusting Kibou. I don’t know. _

_ “Hey,” Kokichi interrupts my thoughts. _

_ “Hm...?” _

_ “There’s nothing wrong with not knowing what to do. I didn’t know what I was doing.” _

_ “Yeah, and look where that got you,” Miu points at him. _

_ I hadn’t really noticed before but his eyes were pure white. So were Miu’s. I could tell he was glaring at Miu though. _

_ “The point is that it doesn’t matter how you do it, just that you try.” _

_ “But that’s like saying that the ends justify the means,” I say. _

_ He shrugs, “Sometimes.” _

_ “Or you could stop being a pussy and just put on a show,” Miu suggests. _

_ “...Put on a show?” I ask. _

_ She swings her legs on the table, “I don’t give a shit about friendship or working together or whatever but if you wanna be a leader, you gotta put on a convincing act. Doesn’t matter what you say as long as it sounds like you mean it.” _

_ “You mean lie?” _

_ “No, I don’t,” she sarcastically drawls. _

_ I sit up in my seat, “But I can’t keep lying. Nobody believes me anyway.” _

_ “Nobody has to believe you,” Kokichi says, “they just have to believe _ ** _in_ ** _ you.” _

_ I groan, “What’s the difference?” _

_ “You’re good with words, you tell me.” _

* * *

How tragic. I cannot believe it. I refuse to believe it. What would force a world so filled with light and hope to bring something so awful? There is no laughter to be found, not a shred of happiness to be seen.

I wish I could just... remove it like a metal scrub. I could scour the planet. I would cleanse every inch of dirt from the universe until there was nothing left but the joy we once had. Such a process would be slow and very time consuming but...

...

Hey.

Is someone... listening in on me?

What can they hear?

And...

When are they hearing this?"

* * *

...

Ding dong!

...

Ding dong!

...

Ding dong! Ding dong!

“Ugh...”

_ Knock, knock, knock, knock. _

“I’m coming, I’m coming! Jeez!”

You slide out of bed and rub your eyes. You shamble to the door. Your body is so heavy. You slide open the door and take a moment for your eyes to readjust.

“I was sent to come get you,” says Maki.

“...Were you?” you mumble, “What time is it?”

She taps her wristwatch. “9:00 AM.”

“9:00...?”

“An hour after the morning announcement.”

You blink. “I slept in?”

“Yeah.” Maki shifts on her boots. She twirls her hair around her finger. She doesn’t look at you.

“Is something wrong?” you ask.

She shakes her head but she’s obviously uncomfortable.

_ Why is she...? _

You look down.

“Oh!”

You slam the door shut. You’re just wearing a bra with leggings. You felt really tired and drained yesterday so you just threw off the top layer and called it a night. Scrambling around to find your clothes and bag, you practically throw yourself at the door. You stand up and try to collect yourself.

“Sorry about that,” you say, smiling through your teeth.

Maki sighs, “Whatever. I won’t say anything.”

You lock the door behind you and walk with Maki out of the dorms. You ask about the wristwatch, not remembering her wearing it at any other point in time. She yawns and explains that she got sick of carrying around the Monopad so she converted the files over to a wristwatch. She also couldn’t sleep because of... everything. You nod in understanding.

She rolls her eyes as you take her hand and play around with her watch. It looks a lot cooler with a golden frame and lots of different ways to access certain sections. Tapping the screen shows the time, tapping it twice shows how long until nighttime. Twisting the frame brings up the map. Maki says she has yet to figure out how to get the GPS function to work. She wonders if it’s through some kind of chemical or mind control function. She’ll have to test it sometime.

“Your hands are calloused,” you observe.

“That’s what you get when you’re messing with machines all day,” she sighs. “Or all night, I guess.”

You gently bend her fingers down. “And your nails are kind of short,” you add.

She pulls her hand away from you. She gives you a look. Not quite the same one she gave when you tried to take out her bow but pretty close.

“Weren’t you the one who wanted us to meet up?” she asks, changing the subject.

“Yeah... sorry I slept in. I think I was too out of it to hear the announcement,” you say.

She shrugs, “I don’t care about that. I would have slept in too.”

“Why didn’t you?”

Maki opens her mouth but then closes it again. She doesn’t look prepared to answer that. Colour creeps on her face.

“Did you want to show someone your watch?” you guess.

“N-no, that’s not...” she huffs and speeds ahead.

You giggle as you jog to catch up to her.

Maki looks ahead and tries to hide her blush for the rest of the walk. She swings open the dining hall door and steps inside. You push the door before it hits you.

“Fetched her,” Maki says and then sits down at the table.

“Morning, Kaede!” Kaito greets.

Everyone else follows with fluctuating levels of enthusiasm.

“Good morning, everyone,” you wave back.

“Korekiyo made breakfast again,” Kibou says.

You walk over to the kitchen bench where Kiyo serves you a bowl of miso soup. Just a smell makes you remember how it feels to be hungry. It’s strange, you didn’t eat anything yesterday and didn’t care.

...

You take the soup and walk back to the table. You sit in between Kibou and Kirumi. Kirumi stirs her soup around absentmindedly, the spoon clinking on the porcelain bowl. Kibou is eating as quickly as possible. Not without manners, not a drop is spilled. He must be pretty resistant to heat if he can keep this up though. He catches you staring. He looks down at your hands. You’re barely holding your spoon above the table. 

“...Is something the matter?” he asks.

You shake your head, “No, you’re just eating really quickly. I’m... impressed. I think.”

Kibou hides his face in his hands. “Sorry, I forgot we don’t have a time limit on breakfast.”

You smile, “It’s okay. I’m not judging.”

_ Is this really happening? After what happened yesterday, how can we all be in such high spirits? _

You sigh and take a spoonful of soup. It’s delicious but... what’s going on?

_ Something’s missing, it’s not just Kokichi and Miu. _

You look around the room. Kiyo’s in the kitchen and everyone else is either sitting down or filling their bowls. You count how many people are in the room.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Kibou asks.

You narrow your eyes, “Something’s off.”

“What’s off?” Kibou drops his spoon.

Kirumi looks over to you. She gives a forced smile, “It’s probably nothing to worry about.”

_ Okay, something is really wrong. _

Then it hits you.

“Where’s Tsumugi?”

The dining hall goes quiet. Suddenly, everyone is staring at you. 

“Did... did something happen to her?” you ask.

Rantaro shakes his head, “I knew you guys would get caught.”

“Hey, we almost got through all of breakfast before she noticed!” Kirumi defends.

“Only because you gave it away,” Tenko says.

“She was gonna figure it out anyway,” Kaito sighs, “I mean, she saved our asses yesterday. She’s smart enough to notice something like this.”

“I’m right here,” you say.

“Right here, you are!” Angie grins.

“No-one’s answered my question. Where is Tsumugi?”

Nobody gives an answer. You feel dread creeping into your chest. Did someone kill her? Is everyone in on it? Why didn’t they want you to know?

“Sh-she’s okay,” Shuichi stutters.

“What?”

He clears his throat, “Y-you looked s-scared. Tsumugi isn’t hurt, sh-she’s fine.”

You glare at the group. “_ Where _ is she?”

“She’s in quarantine,” Tenko says, “out of everyone’s way until we know she can be trusted.”

“Locked up in her room so she can be creepy alone,” Kirumi adds.

You stand up, “You _ trapped _her in her room?!”

“She did assist in murder,” Donkey li— Himiko says.

“She’s the reason two people are dead,” Maki adds.

“She’s not right in the head!” Kirumi pounds her fists on the table.

“When I said I wanted everyone to meet up in the morning, I meant _ everyone _ . Including Tsumugi. I even said _ especially _Tsumugi. Did no-one remember that?”

Silence. 

You stalk to Kiyo and take a bowl of soup and a spoon. You head to the dining hall doors.

“Where are you going?” Kiyo asks, genuinely curious.

“Someone has to feed her,” you say.

You take out the Monopad in one hand and rest the bowl on it. You “Go!” to the dorms and head to Tsumugi’s room. On the door handle, there are chains. On the chains, there’s a lock. Beside the lock, there’s a key hanging from a string nailed into the wall. Carefully holding the bowl in one hand, you slip the Monopad into your bag and take the key off of the string. You push the key in the lock and twist to let the chains fall to the floor. You ring the intercom.

Ding dong!

A few seconds pass. The door slowly slides open. Tsumugi peers through the gap. She sees you.

“Good morning, Kaede,” she smiles, “I see you figured out what the others did.”

“I’m sorry about them,” you say.

“Oh, don’t be. It’s a pretty normal reaction. If they didn’t lock me up, I’d be worried they’d turned into background characters.”

You hand her the soup through the gap in the door. “What do you mean by that?”

She stirs the soup. “You know some stories where there’s an obvious threat and the civilians do absolutely nothing about it? It would be like that. I’m glad they took the initiative and went behind your back. I bet you gave them a stern talk.”

“Not really.”

“No?” She swallows a spoonful.

“Listen, I don’t really understand why you did what you did but...” you take a deep breath, “I’m willing to... forgive you. If you don’t do it again and just... don’t do anything weird.”

“You mean it? You care for me even after I killed Kokichi and Miu?” she says.

You shudder, “H-hey, you didn’t... _ kill _ Kokichi. You just assisted in it. Not the same thing, right?”

She turns her head. Her smile looks wistful. “I... I don’t know what to say. You’ll forgive me? How benevolent of you.” She turns back and looks into your eyes, “and how selfish I could be to just take your kindness. And all I’d have to do is hold off on my bets?”

You nod, gulping.

“Alright. For my _ favourite _ author, I’ll hold myself back.”

_ Oh, thank God. _

“But,” she holds up a finger, “that doesn’t mean we can slack off on creating the brightest hope imaginable. We can’t always be sunshine without rain.”

You can feel sweat sticking to your clothes. “So...”

“If I was the bad guy before, consider me an anti-hero now. I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds.” She grins and then pulls the door shut.

“You’re welcome!” you shout.

She doesn’t say anything back.

You relax your shoulders. You didn’t plan to say you forgive Tsumugi, nor did you actually believe it when you said it. You look at your wrist. You never took off the bracelet or the scrunchie even while you were asleep. It gives you... mixed feelings. A sense of purpose but also doubt. A strong drive to live but a creeping hopelessness.

You shudder.

_ Fake it ‘till you make it, _ you decide.

You walk out of the dorms and “GO!” back to the dining hall. You open the door.

“What do you want now?!” Kaito shouts.

“Hey, you’ll like this one!” says Monokuma, “Consider it a prize for surviving the class trial.”

“Prize?” Ryoma repeats.

“Rise and shine, ursine!”

The Monokubs appear beside Monokuma.

“Um... h-here’s the reward,” Monotaro stutters.

“Yup! Reward. Just for you,” Monophanie says.

Monodam stares at them. Each of the Monokubs holds up an item, each as nonsensical as the last.

A hand crank, an ocarina, some kind of flat board with writing on it and a red orb.

The Monokubs leave them on the table.

“...What do you suppose we’ll do with these?” Rantaro asks.

“I dunno. Maybe there’s more than meets the eye,” Monokuma says.

“What if prizes are _ inside _? Breaking would reveal them,” Gonta suggests.

“Ooh! What a neat idea!” Angie says.

“Stop it, we’re not breaking anything,” Maki sighs.

Monokuma shrugs, “Welp, use ‘em however you wish. Have fun and do your best!”

Monokuma disappears. The Monokubs hastily follow.

You step into the room.

“The hell are we going to do with this junk?” Kirumi asks.

“Break?” Gonta says.

“No break.” Rantaro shakes his head. “I mean, please don’t break them.”

“Oopsie! Your cool persona almost slipped. Nice save,” Angie says.

The room dissolves into confused speculation as everyone stares down at the _ prizes _. Some pick up the prizes and try to analyse them. Shuichi looks up from the group and sees you. He steps away from the table.

“D-did you see...?”

“Yeah, I saw,” you say.

He nods, “R-right.”

“How’s your head?”

“Huh? O-oh... fine. I-I don’t know what happened.”

“Hm...” you fold your arms. “Well, if you feel it acting up again, you should tell us. We’ll get you back in your room and get to the bottom of it.”

He hesitates for a moment. He says, “O-okay, I will,”

“Hey, Kaede! Get over here!” Kirumi calls.

“Don’t shout so loud,” Tenko chides.

“_ Don’t shout so loud.” _Kirumi mocks, rolling her eyes, “Whatever, grandma.”

To break up the fight, you jog to the table. All eyes are on you as you look down at the junk.

“Maybe it’s a puzzle,” you offer.

“What kind of puzzle would involve... this?” Himiko asks, gesturing vaguely at the junk.

“What if these are pieces to a puzzle in the school?” Kibou says.

“If we explore the school, maybe these will fit somewhere,” you continue.

“Some sections look closed off. These could potentially open them up.”

“So the prize isn’t the junk itself, it’s what they open up!”

You look up from the table. Everyone is staring back and forth between you and Kibou.

“What?” you ask.

“You two were like... in sync. Can’t tell if that’s cool or freaky,” Kirumi says.

“I’m saying freaky,” Himiko adds.

You and Kibou exchange looks. He looks away, slightly embarrassed.

Kiyo steps in, “If that is the case, it would be best to split up into groups to discover what these items open up.”

Everyone agrees and sorts themselves into three groups of four. One group has five members and two items. You end up with Tenko, Angie and Ryoma. Maki leads a group with Rantaro, Kiyo, Himiko and Gonta. Kaito leads a group with Kibou, Kirumi and Shuichi.

“Should someone go and get Tsumugi?” you ask.

“No,” several people say.

You blink, stunned. “...Okay.”

Your group takes the red orb. You put it in your bag for safe-keeping. Leading the group outside of the dining hall, you find yourself a little lost on what to do.

_ Fake it ‘till you make it _.

You start walking away from the dining hall, your group follows. You have no idea where you’re going. You take this time to think.

_ Where would a spherical object like this go? _

You consider other ways to look at this. It’s not just a red orb, maybe it’s part of door? You can’t think of any doors without a handle though. Part of something decorative? What decoration would need a red orb? Orb. Orb is such a weird word.

_ Orbs...eyes? _

You head toward the stairs. Bracing yourself, you lead the group up them. You only stumble a little when you get to the top. The first thing to catch your eye is the dragon statue by the far wall.

“Strange,” Tenko says, “I’ve never actually found myself on the second level of the school.”

“Is it cuz Kirumi’s lab is here?” Angie asks.

“That could be one reason,” she mutters.

You take the orb out of your bag. The dragon statue has one red eye, the other remains an empty socket. The statue is holding up an orb of its own. Your group probably picked the easiest puzzle out of all of them. You’re kind of disappointed.

You sense the others have gathered around you. You push the orb into the dragon’s eye socket. It’s a tight gap, you have to push hard to shove it in. It makes an uncomfortable scraping sound. Once it’s in, you step back. The red eye brightly glares and you have to cover your face. The statue cracks. Something is rumbling behind it. Something loudly crumbles. You uncover your eyes to see both the statue and the wall behind it have shattered and fallen to the ground. Behind the rubble is a hallway. Ryoma coughs away the dust. 

“Wow! The wall broke!” Angie cheers.

“So it did,” Tenko says.

“Well, that was easy,” Ryoma shrugs.

Angie bounces over the rubble and races into the hallway. They skip around the corner. Tenko climbs over and scolds them for running ahead. You help Ryoma over the boulders by lending a hand. Continuing down, the air is really dusty and unpleasant. It’s dry, you can feel your throat tensing up. Angie and Tenko wait around the corner. They stand beside a door with a large frame. The frame seems to have beautiful calligraphy scrolled on it. You touch the lines. It’s cold marble. This has been engraved. The door itself is black with white patterns etched on it. It’s a pen dripping ink onto an open book.

“Is this... my Ultimate Research Lab?”

“Looks like it,” says Ryoma.

Before you can say anything else, Angie grabs the door handle and pushes it open. They run into the room and stop in the middle.

It’s... big. There’s a large table at the back of the room just in front of a large window. There’s paper stacked on one end and a selection of pens and pencils at the other. Erasers, inkwells, white-outs. Angie goes behind the table and starts fishing through the drawers.

“Whoa! I haven’t seen one of these in ages!” they strain as they lift something from out of the bottom drawer. They haul it onto the table with a loud CLUNK. It’s a typewriter. 

“Damn,” Ryoma says, obviously impressed.

“How lovely,” Tenko adds.

Behind the desk and off to the side sits a small bookcase. You walk over to it and crouch. 

On the top shelf, there are a couple of titles you recognise like Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Little Women and Wuthering Heights (you scoff. You never liked Wuthering Heights all that much.) 

The middle shelf seems to have things you’ve never heard of. You wonder if Kibou would be happy with reading some of these. 

The bottom shelf contains...

“Hey, my stuff’s here!”

Tenko looks over your shoulder. You pull out a copy of ‘_ Till The Tides Come Dancing _’ from the shelf and hand it to her. She begins to walk away from the shelf while flipping through the pages. You stand back up and stretch your legs.

Looking around the sides of the room, the left and right walls look oddly shiny. At a small desk sat against the left wall, there’s a box of coloured markers and fluffy erasers. There’s also a spray for when the markers dry up on the board. You press a hand against the wall. It’s cold and smooth. Your fingers smudge it a little.

Uncapping a pink marker, you draw a squiggle on the wall. You then take the eraser and rub it out.

“I see, it’s a whiteboard,” Tenko mumbles.

“Why would you need one?” Ryoma asks.

You scribble a couple of lines for a quick mock-up. “Sometimes, when I’m writing, there are lots of things I need to keep in mind that can be hard to track. If I write it up on a whiteboard, it can help me remember what I’ve planned and visualise certain environments or moods.” You connect some of the lines together. “It also makes for a good relationship tracking chart.”

Angie takes some of the markers and starts drawing random shapes. You wipe off your mock-up and put the marker back in the box.

“My only concern is for the other lab on this floor,” Tenko says.

“Hm? Oh, you mean Kirumi.” You shake your head, “I’ll probably go talk to her about it at some point.”

“Assuming she can be reasoned with,” Tenko grumbles.

“Hey, I get that you two don’t get along but you should at least make an effort.”

She narrows her eyes, “I _ am _ making an effort. _ She’s _ the problem.”

“The _ problem _ is that neither of you are willing to listen to each other. You won’t listen to her criticising your advice and she is allowed to do that. You shouldn’t force your way of life onto others and Kirumi is trying to tell you to stop.”

“I’m not forcing my lifestyle on anyone.”

“You kind of are,” Ryoma pipes up.

Tenko shoots him a glare.

You sigh. “Look, we all come from different families with different rules and expectations. She chooses to express herself very... loudly. Trying to rewrite her so she fits your expectations isn’t going to work.”

“It could if you push the right buttons,” Angie says.

“Not the point,” says Ryoma.

Tenko looks off into the wall. She still looks irritated, her brows twitch on her face. She looks back at you. She huffs and walks to the door.

You look back at Angie and Ryoma. They watch Tenko leave the lab. You sigh as the door clicks shut. Angie puts away the markers. The two stand beside you.

“So... what now?” Ryoma asks.

You don’t know. You wish you knew.

_ What would a leader say right now? _

“Um... let’s see how the others are doing,” you say.

The two shrug. You lead them out of the lab.

You don’t see Tenko when you walk out. You hope she isn’t doing something stupid right now. You lead the rest of your party to the other side of the second floor. You can see someone leaning against a door. They see you coming and wave.

“Hi, Kiyo,” you wave back.

“Where’s the rest of your group?” Ryoma asks.

They move away from the door. “I believe Maki and Rantaro are inside of this lab. Himiko, Gonta and I were told to stay outside so I am currently supervising them while standing guard.”

They direct your gaze to Himiko who is currently picking at grass and then throwing it back at the ground and Gonta who is practising his punches.

“Why doesn’t Maki want you inside the lab?” Angie asks.

Kiyo shakes their head, “I suspect it’s not Maki who wants us out.”

“Huh?” you say.

“Rantaro appeared to have a strong disliking for this room. I’m sure it’s his research lab. It must have some kind of sentimental secret he would rather keep to Maki and himself,” they explain.

“Can’t imagine what would be in an _ Ultimate Affluent Progeny _ lab,” you quietly say.

“Nor can I,” Kiyo agrees. 

“What is this?” Angie asks.

You look over. You hadn’t even noticed that Angie had walked away from the conversation. They stand beside a treasure chest with golden edges and a royal red case.

“No clue,” Himiko says.

“Gonta look inside but chest was empty,” Gonta adds.

“What?!” Monokuma’s shrill voice rings through the air. He appears behind the chest, then walks around it. 

Angie opens the chest and looks inside. “Yup, nothing.”

Monokuma grabs the case and hoists himself up, dangling his legs in the air. Then he drops back down. “Alright, which one of you bastards took it?!”

“Took what?” you ask.

“The light! The flashback light! It’s very important and you should all be in uproar! Someone just stole the best prize!”

You look at Kiyo. They shrug.

“Ooh, when I get my paws on them...” Monokuma grumbles, kicking the chest so it shuts again.

It could’ve been anyone. Kirumi and Shuichi are often on this floor and they could have looted this and not told anyone. Then again, Miu could have stolen it while—

“It was probably Tsumugi,” you whisper to Kiyo.

“Most likely,” they whisper back.

...

Yeah. Or it was Tsumugi.

Monokuma disappears. Himiko throws another fistful of grass like nothing was happening.

“Welp, that’s fine,” Angie says and skips over to you. “So, where to next?”

“Downstairs...?” you say like a question.

“Actually, there’s another set of stairs nearby that I saw Kaito’s group go up,” Kiyo says.

They point in the direction of the stairs. Sure enough, another gaudy, bright pink staircase greets you. You wince.

“Oh, thank you,” you gulp.

You wave goodbye and lead your party upstairs. Even if the stairs are unfamiliar, the feeling is enough to stop you from stumbling too far. It’s just a mild headache this time.

This hallway looks so disconnected from the other two levels, you find it hard to believe you’re still in the same building. The walls are littered with fuse boxes with small lights and switches and wires. The floor is a checker board pattern that looks clean until you look into the distance. This floor feels darker. 

You lead the group down the hallway until you reach a door on your right. The door has a collection of fish swimming around the frame. There’s a life ring hanging on a peg nailed to the wooden door.

“This must be Kaito’s lab,” you say.

“Do you think there’ll be a pool inside?” Angie asks.

“Not sure,” you reply.

You turn the handle and look inside. Kaito is excitedly taking his group on a tour around the room.

“Look at all these! Not that I’ll ever need them, of course, but they make for good decoration,” Kaito says, gesturing to the lifesavers hanging from pegs. 

“I don’t see the point in having an aquarium in the Ultimate Swimming Pro lab,” Kibou says, bending over to look more closely, “especially with dangerous specimens inside.”

Kirumi is staring at the floor. “Is this a projection or are we pulling a Jesus and walking on water?”

“Wh-why do you ask?” Shuichi says.

“Figured you’d like to know about the shark.”

Shuichi jumps at least a foot off the ground. He leaps onto Kibou who catches him as if he were holding a burping baby. Shuichi clings onto Kibou for dear life. Kibou looks away in discomfort.

Kirumi breaks into a cackling mess, doubled over and choking on air.

“I... I think that was a joke,” Kibou mumbles, turning away to hide his pink face.

Kaito looks down at the floor. He taps the ball of his foot against it. It makes a dull _ dun dun _ sound. “Sounds like glass. Could be either.”

_ I think it’s glass with water underneath, _ you think to yourself, _ judging by the sound, anyway. _

“I think they’ve got this,” Ryoma says.

You agree. You gently pull the door, seeing Kibou put Shuichi down as you close it.

If you continued down this path, you’d hit a dead end. You turn around and walk toward the stairs. Instead of going down them, you lead the group around the stairs and into a new hallway. You walk under a blue lit arch to see some kind of tarp. You can walk around it, it’s only blocking off what should be in the middle of the loop around the floor and whatever is below. There’s a Monokuma print on the tarp. 

You walk around to the other side and through the small passage. It leads to an open room with lots of benches on the left and a door straight ahead. It doesn’t look like a real door though. It looks too... video game-y. It looks more like pixel art than a door. 

Angie leaps to open it. They grasp at the ring handles but there’s nothing to hold.

“What is this...?” you ask no-one.

They lean forward and trace their hand down the door. They slam their fist into it but it doesn’t make the thick, wooden sound you expect. It’s a cut short stone brick sound.

“It’s a painting,” they gasp.

“Why is there a painting of a door here?” Ryoma asks.

You shake your head. “I think Monokuma is just messing with us.”

You turn to the hall on your right. There’s a door at the end. It looks like it’s made of steel with bolts decorated on the outer frame. You can only begin to guess who’s lab this is.

You have to yank hard on the handle to pull it open. You peer through the gap. What greets you is an entire room full to the brim with every weapon imaginable. Guns, knives, swords, bombs. You feel a pang in your chest. You can’t help but see a barrel flashing in your peripheral vision.

“Oh,” Ryoma says, standing just beside your feet.

“Lemme see!” Angie shouts and pushes you away. They step into the room. Their bounciness leaves them. “Oh,” they also say.

“Think this is Kibou’s?” Ryoma asks.

“It has to be,” you mumble.

“Should we go get him?”

Angie spins around on their heels. “The nature of humanity is to test what should not be tested. Tell Kibou and we will surely test his sins with dependant variable lives.”

Stunned into silence, you can only watch as they merrily skip out of the room and close the door in your face.

“They... kind of have a point, as ominous as it was,” Ryoma says.

You let out the breath you were holding. “God, I’m so glad you’re not weird.”

Seeing nothing else of note, you all walk back together. You convince Kaito’s group not to go down the path you came back from. You do feel a little guilty but... it is also a large room full of weapons. Should someone guard it? That would be an awfully boring job.

_ Wait, I still have those cameras. _

You wonder if you should set those up later.

Kaito’s group seems to have merged with yours as you all try to figure out where their item goes. The group decides to head back down to the first floor, seeing as you’ve all finished seeing the third and second floors. You don’t see Kiyo and their group on the way down. They may have moved on to somewhere else.

You find yourselves wandering around until you reach the hall near the entrance to the school. As you walk through, something feels noticeably off. You look to your left. It’s a passage with sheets over the walls.

“Was this always here?” you ask, pointing to the hall.

“Don’t think so,” Ryoma says.

“What’s up with the sheets?” Kirumi asks. She lifts one with her finger but behind it is just a wall covered in vines.

If your tour up the second and third floor has taught you anything it’s that this leads to another Ultimate Lab. Someone would have had to crumble the wall that used to be here.

“I think Maki’s group has this sorted,” you say.

“You sure?” Kaito asks.

You nod. “I’m sure. You’re welcome to go join up with them but we won’t find where to use the other item.”

The group shrugs and moves on.

After what feels like an hour of walking around, you’ve still found nothing in this school. Maki’s group has joined up with you so now the whole class is together. That may have defeated the purpose of splitting up in your eyes but you don’t say it. The lab Maki’s group found is apparently Himiko’s. She seemed rather apathetic about it. That being said, this is the happiest you’ve ever seen her. Nothing else was of interest. 

Tenko was in the dining hall. She looked like she was meditating but you’re not sure why a chair was flipped over. She reluctantly rejoins the group but makes sure to stand as far away from Kirumi as possible. This makes you roll your eyes.

Shuichi has begun to walk closer to you. He groans and rubs his head as you all step into the sunlight outside. You wonder if he’s getting another migraine. When you ask, he just says he’s fine. Part of you doesn’t believe that.

The outside looks a little different. New greenery have been planted and a route that was blocked off with storage crates has been opened up. Continuing along, there’s a building that looks connected to the school. It’s tall with a large glass dome for a ceiling. It has an overabundance of moss and ivy creeping over what you would think to be the doorway. You push the ivy away and try to open the door but it’s automatic and shut tight. Kibou and Maki offer help but they can’t seem to pry it open either. Gonta offers to smash the glass open. You tell him to wait and see if there’s a better approach.

Everyone walks around the building to look for alternative openings. Kiyo, Kirumi and Rantaro stay close to the front. You walk up to them to see what they’re staring at.

“What is that?” you ask.

“It appears to be some kind of monument,” Kiyo says.

“I wondered if Kirumi would be able to decipher it so I called her over,” Rantaro adds.

The stone monument has an imprint of a paw of some kind at the top. The main point of interest is the bar of music at the bottom.

Kirumi sighs, “I didn’t bring my guitar with me. Plus, this looks like someone wrote the idea of sheet music more than actual sheet music. There’s no clef or staffs, I can’t even tell what instrument or pitch range this is for. It’s like decoration from someone who’s never seen music before. Hate it when they do that.”

“Didn’t your group pick up an ocarina?” you ask.

She tilts her head. “Huh? Is that what it is?”

“You’ve never heard of an ocarina?”

“I’ve heard of ‘em, just never seen one up close. Didn’t think they were so small.”

“Do you think you could play it?” Rantaro asks.

Kirumi shrugs, “I could try.”

You call for Kaito and ask for the ocarina. He gives it to Kirumi and she stands in front of the monument. Kirumi (after brushing and wiping it to make sure it’s not gross) brings the mouthpiece of the ocarina to her lips. She holds down all of the holes and blows into it. It’s a low _ fwoo _ sound. She keeps blowing, progressively taking her fingers off to test the notes. She stops at the highest note.

“This is probably gonna suck,” she says.

“You’re the Ultimate Musician, it won’t be bad at all!” you cheer.

“No, I know that. I’m saying it’s gonna suck ‘cause the sheet music says it’s all in one note.”

“Ah, I see,” Kiyo nods.

She whispers something to herself. She taps her foot on the grass in a consistent 4/4 beat. You notice she’s not holding down any of the holes. She takes a deep breath.

_ Tap, fwee, fwee fwee. Tap, fwee, fwee fwee. _

The ivy hanging over the building begin to turn brown. After some gentle poking from Angie, they wither and collapse in a pile on the ground.

Kirumi moves the ocarina away. “Yeah, that really could’ve been better.”

“W-was that all in F?” Shuichi asks.

“Yup.”

Kaito looks at Shuichi, “How did you know that?” 

“O-oh... um, K-Kirumi has been giving m-me lessons.”

“What do you play? Drums?”

“Drums don’t have notes,” Himiko drawls.

“Well, technically they do. Drum notation is a bitch to learn though ‘cause there’s a buncha different kinds of things you can hit. Like cowbells. You take a normal note and turn the circle into a triangle. How weird is that?”

“Guys, the doors work now,” Maki says, slightly irritated.

You look up at the sign above the doorway. There are two pictures of dolphins riding waves beside a word.

“_ Pool _...?” you read aloud.

“_ Pool _?!” Kaito exclaims. Without caution, he rushes inside.

“Wait, hold on!” Kibou shouts after him.

The rest of the group follows them. The inside doesn’t look like a school pool. The walls are a bronze-orange colour. Pillars with pink flowers wrapped around them and glowing under the downlights. Beach chairs and potted plants lining the sides of the pool and a diving board that makes your stomach flip twice at its height. The smell of chlorine isn’t as overwhelming as most public pools. In fact, there seems to be another smell that nearly overpowers it. Is it lavender? It’s probably some kind of flower.

You feel something lumpy under your shoes. You look down to see a blue coat. 

“Whoo-hoo!” Kaito hollers from the pool.

“Are you okay? Did you hit the bottom?” Kibou worriedly asks, scrambling around the edge of the pool.

“No, dude. You would _ not _ believe how deep this thing is!”

Kaito takes a deep breath and dives under the water. A couple of seconds pass. You exchange looks with Shuichi. Water flies up at Kirumi and Rantaro. They try to duck away from the splash but it’s fruitless. Kirumi’s makeup runs a little. Rantaro shakes his now partly wet clothes. Kaito flicks his hair as he surfaces.

“Oh, you are _ so _ paying for that later!” Kirumi shouts. She’s smirking.

“We don’t have time for this, we still have another piece of junk to deal with,” Maki says.

“That’s your group’s problem,” Himiko groans.

“You are in Maki’s group,” Kiyo says.

“Oh... that sucks.”

Kaito lies on his back and floats, “I’m sure the last thing isn’t that far away. We can have a little break, I think we earned it.”

“What makes you so sure?” Maki asks.

“Just a hunch.”

“You’re pushing the work onto someone else and slacking off based on a hunch?” Tenko scoffs, “Men, always slacking off.”

“Whoa, there’s no need for that,” you say.

“Yeah, he said _ we _ all deserve a break. Not just him,” Kirumi adds.

“We still have one last thing to use. If we slack off now, we’ll only be wasting our time,” Maki says.

“I agree,” Kiyo adds.

“Same here,” Rantaro nods.

“Alright, let’s have a vote. Majority rules,” you say.

“On what?” Tenko asks.

“Option one; we take a break now and come back to the last piece later. Option two; we find out the last piece now and take a break afterwards.”

The group nods and makes sounds of agreement.

“All for option one?”

Himiko raises her hand. She looks around and groans.

“All for option two?”

The rest of the class raises their hands.

“In that case, dry yourselves off and let’s keep investigating,” you say.

Kaito swims to the ladder and pulls himself out of the pool. Shuichi starts to tremble next to you.

“Are you alright?” you ask.

“Y-yeah,” he starts playing with his hair and looks away, “I’m f-fine.”

His face has turned pink. He keeps looking at Kaito and then away.

_ Ah, gotcha. _

You can’t help but smirk.

After wandering off of the path, you find another area has been opened up not too far from the pool. It leads to a giant brick building that almost feels medieval in structure. The towering wooden doors have a long bar across it that looks latched on. Lifting it looks impossible (bar Gonta but you’re scared to see what happens if he just tears the thing off.)

To the right of the doors, there’s a glowing LED ring around what looks like a hexagonal button. Angie tries to press it but it doesn’t go down. So it’s more of a protrusion than a button. Maki waits for Angie to step away and then pulls out the final prize. She crouches in front of the protrusion and sticks the crank into it. She fiddles with it until it’s nice and tight. She grunts and turns the crank. The bar slips out from the doors as she turns.

Once the bar is completely out, she lets go and turns to face the group. She flicks some sweat off of her forehead.

“A-are you a-alright?” Shuichi asks you.

“Yeah,” you say, holding your cheek in your hand, “fine.”

“See? What did I tell ya?” Kaito grins.

Maki punches him in the arm. He whines and starts rubbing it. Maki pulls the doors open and leads everyone inside.

The sky has gone dark and there are stars twinkling above. The pathway becomes linear, it splits off in two directions while the rest of the ground has been replaced with water. Staring up in disbelief, some walk out of the doors and then come back in.

“I’m so confused,” Himiko says.

“It’s a roof yet there is a sky,” Rantaro mumbles.

Kirumi digs through her skirt pockets and pulls out a notepad saying, “Wait, I need to write that down.”

“I’m more concerned with the fact there’s a casino and a hotel,” says Ryoma.

“_ Hotel Kumasutra? _” Kiyo folds their arms, “I get the feeling that the name is a pun on something.”

“This looks really sketchy,” Maki says.

You stare off at the casino. Golden rays of light shoot up into the sky, swinging around like a stage show. Signs in bright yellow flashing in the darkness. You can hear music thumping from the other side of the building.

_ Miu probably would have loved this place. _

...

“I think we’re done here,” you say.

Angie blinks in surprise, “But we haven’t—”

“Let’s take a break. We’ve been walking around all day, we deserve one.”

“Thank God, my legs are _ killing _ me!” Kirumi huffs.

“Have we seen everything we need to see?” Maki asks.

“While I am usually more reluctant to not exploring everything, I doubt there is much to be found in a hotel or a casino,” says Kiyo. They give you a look that shows they understand.

Himiko stretches her arms, “Cool. I’m gonna nap.”

Maki checks her watch. “It’s barely noon.”  
“Time isn’t real,” she yawns.

“I’m writing that down too,” Kirumi says, scribbling in her notepad.

“I’ll be in my room then,” Ryoma sighs, “not that anyone will need me.”

“Is there a reason for you to say that?” Kibou asks.

Gonta tilts his head, “Ryoma not needed? What does that mean?”

Ryoma shakes his head, “Sorry, shouldn’t be making you guys worry. You’ve all got your Ultimate problems to deal with. I’ll keep to myself at least until I figure out who I am.”

After saying his piece, Ryoma turns and leaves.

A bit stuck for a response, you look over to Kibou. He gives an uncertain shrug.

“If there’s nothing else to explore, I’m going back to my lab,” Maki says and leaves.

“I’m gonna raid the warehouse! God told me there’s going to be a surprise in there.” Angie skips away.

After Angie announces their leave, everyone returns to their rooms or labs.

Everyone, except for you.

You walk all the way up to the third floor and to Kibou’s lab. You look through your bag but it’s hard to find things when there are so many coins. You have no idea where they came from. Ever since the end of the trial, you’ve found yourself burdened by a mountain of coins with Monokuma’s face on it. 

After some digging around, you pull out the cameras and look around. You figure you could probably get away with putting one in the corner because of how decorated the wall is. You set it up on a panel so it faces the hall leading to the lab. 

But there’s also the chance that someone could pick it out from the other technological decor. If you could find a place to stash it inside of the lab, it may have a higher chance of seeing anyone who could go inside. Hands shaking, you pull the door open and gulp at the sight of the weapons. You look around and try to find a good hiding spot. 

There’s a collection of guns hanging on the wall just next to the door. Assuming anyone does come in, they probably wouldn’t reach for the top row if it’s the same as the ones closer to the ground. It does feel risky, the rack probably couldn’t hold both the camera and the gun.

Your eyes around the room until you spot a spinning rack holding camouflage vests with big pockets and belts of ammunition on a separate rack underneath them. There is also a lot of shelves behind the vests storing various clothes like boots and gloves. The inside of the rack is lit with a dull teal but it gets much darker as it goes down. Unless it was Kibou visiting or something was planning a gun fight, you doubt anyone would try to steal these vests. You prop a camera in a high shelf and push it back so it’s not easily seen. You push the boots together to hide it more just in case.

You turn on the camera and leave the flash off. You then place the sensor in the corner next to the door. You turn on the sensor and run out of the room. You take the receiver out of your bag press the button to turn it on. You open the door and step inside the lab again. You check the camera in the shelf and look at the polaroid that has risen from the top of the camera. You have to wait for it to develop.

While waiting, you reset the camera and walk out of the lab. You decide to place another camera outside. You hide it under a bench so it catches anyone turning the corner. You have to re-position it a couple of times so it can view at least from the waist down. 

You look at the photo. It’s still developing but you can get a good idea of the placement from what’s been shown. It’s a high angle, you can see yourself opening the door with your head peering in first. You wonder if you should set up another camera in case the camera catches the door instead of the person.

_ Am I paranoid? _ you ask yourself.

You flinch. Someone has come in on the first floor. You listen to them walking around. Are they coming up the stairs? Why would they? Who is it? Are those boots? It could be Maki, Kirumi, Kiyo or Kibou. Does Kibou know about the lab?

_ Maybe a little. _

You turn on the camera and head back downstairs.

You let your hand touch the door to your room. It lingers. You take out your Monopad and check the time.

_ There’s still some time left. _

** _Free Time Start!_ **

You make your way to your lab and try to ignore Kirumi playing in hers. A loud guitar with... is that a piano? You suppose Shuichi must be in today, not like he’s ever not. You step into your lab to see someone going through your desk. You can hear wood on wood clacking around. Is someone looking for pencils?

“Hello?” you say.

Rantaro looks up from the desk. He laughs with embarrassment. “Oh, hello. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Are you looking for something?” you ask.

“I... I am,” he scratches his neck, “I’m writing something important but I need a good quality calligraphy pen. I figured you would be the most likely to have one. I apologise for not asking first.”

You shrug, “That’s alright. I think I know where the pens are.”

You go behind the desk, Rantaro steps to the side to let you through. You look through the top drawer and fish out a an almond coloured box with fancy black writing on the lid. You open it up. Inside is a beautiful fountain pen. The body is jade coloured with gold high-lights. You uncap the lid. The tip is gold with your name engraved into it and some swirly patterns underlining it. This is the fanciest pen you’ve ever seen.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly take that,” Rantaro says with a guilty smile.

“No, I’m not using it. You can have it,” you insist. You hold out the open box to him. He reluctantly takes it. You have to ask, “What do you need it for?”

He hesitates. To cover up, he flicks his hair out of his face. “It’s nothing.”

“You said it was important,” you say.

“I did, didn’t I?” he admits.

“You don’t have to tell me but if it means a lot to you, you shouldn’t have to pretend it isn’t.”

Rantaro stares down at the box. Where there’s usually a sense of warmth in his face, there’s nothing but cold pondering in him. He taps his thumbs on the box.

“It’s... for something I did in the past. It’s an apology to the family I’ve hurt by mistake.”

Not sure what else to say, you say, “I’m sorry.” 

“Hey,” he shakes his head, “would you care to join me for tea?”

“Sure,” you smile.

Neither of you say anything on the way down to the dining hall. While you sit at the table, Rantaro boils the kettle and begins to set up the cups, sugar and milk. He sits adjacent to you and suddenly, he looks the same as ever. It bothers you a little.

“How do you take yours?” he asks.

“Milk and two sugars,” you say.

He nods, “I thought so.”

“What made you think that?”

“You seemed like a sweet beverage kind of woman. Of course, I wouldn’t think it was strange if you liked black coffee, you could prefer either.”

You laugh softly, “I didn’t think someone like you would put that much thought into things like that.”

“Someone like me?” he raises a brow.

“You know, as an _ Ultimate Affluent Progeny _.” You have to back that up, “I mean... I don’t know a lot of rich people but I kind of assumed they wouldn’t really care about... other people...’s taste in tea.”

He sighs.

“That’s not what I meant! I’m sorry!”

“It’s alright. I understand what you mean,” he fiddles with the fancy cup. “I thought I was self-absorbed too. Actually, I _ was _ self-absorbed. It has taken a lot of effort to get out of that phase and now...” he shakes his head, “anyway, the water’s ready.”

“Wait,” you say.

He gets up from the table and goes to fetch the kettle. You feel something in your chest, a sea of guilt and annoyance bubbling up and threatening to spill out of your mouth. It makes you wonder if it’s because of his status or the fact he’s your classmate. You feel like you should say something when he comes back but all that comes out is an endless string of “Sorry.” He shrugs it off every time and pours the water.

“It’s okay. Really, it is,” he says, sitting back down. He drops one spoonful of sugar into his cup and stirs.

You watch him softly smile as he raises his cup to drink. He gives you a look, then at your cup, then back up again. You slump and sip on your tea.

“I can understand those kind of assumptions, I also thought the same thing when I met Shuichi,” he continues.

“But he’s more quiet, right?” you say.

“That’s true but... well, you know how it can be with celebrities.”

You set down the cup, “What do you mean?”

“That whole need to keep up an image. The kind where if you get too close, you’ll see who they _ really _are and it’s more ugly than the glittery photos they’re in,” Rantaro blows some air into his tea, his voice is gentle but serious. “I’m not suggesting that he’s maleficent but given the circumstances, one can never be too careful about a facade, no matter how quiet.”

“Whoa. Do you usually talk like that or are you trying to impress me?”

He chuckles, “I do like to sprinkle longer words into my sentences but no, I wasn’t specifically trying to impress you.”

“What would you say to impress someone?” you ask, leaning on your elbows.

“Maybe something along the lines of.... _ T’as d’beaux yeux, tu sais? Comme les fleurs de magenta fleurissant au printemps, _” he smirks.

You have no idea what he’s saying but judging from that look, it’s probably something sweet. You can’t help but feel your face tense. 

_ Magenta? I heard beaux, that means beautiful, right? Fleurs sounds like flowers. Did he say something about flowers? _

“Alright, consider me impressed,” you giggle, sweeping your hair out of your face.

He threads his fingers together and rests his chin on his hands, a playful grin on his face. The time seems to slip as Rantaro teases you with French and Spanish and seemingly every other language on Earth. How he knows so many is a mystery but it’s a fun mystery you don’t need to solve today.

...

Tenko stands in the short grass with her legs together. Her eyes are closed, her face is tense. 

She flicks a fan out and begins to gracefully dance with it. Her arms move like waves, her fingers remain delicate and her body is as light as a cloud. 

She hears someone approaching. Rustles in the grass under heavy boots and muffled, gentle breathing. Her eyes stay closed. The rustling stops a metre away from her. She continues to dance anyway.

“Is there something you wanted?” Tenko asks.

Korekiyo sighs, “Your dancing is just breathtaking, I couldn’t help but feel entranced.”

“Thank you,” she says. She feels something, her face becomes more tense.

“Is something wrong?” asks Kiyo.

“No, I just need to try harder.”

Kiyo tilts their head, “Whatever do you mean? Your dancing is already quite good.”

“That’s not the thing I’m trying to improve on.” Tenko opens her eyes and flicks her fan closed. “Movements are easy but... I can’t quite get into the mood of it.”

“Mood?”

She huffs, “Ever since I came to this school, I can’t help but feel like I’ve lost the mood of my dances. I can’t get into them, no matter how hard I try. It might just be the atmosphere.”

Kiyo looks away for a moment. Their eyes scan their surroundings but their face stays calm. They just hum. “Hmm.”

She sucks in a deep breath and stares ahead. Her eyes focus so hard, they start to shake. She stands up straight but her body is too stiff to be relaxed. After a while, she loses her focus and shudders.

“How are you doing that?” Tenko asks.

“Doing what?”

“You always look so calm. You speak all proper and nice even though we’re all being threatened with murder and robot bears and mechs and—”

“Tenko,” Kiyo gently interrupts, “I understand the circumstances I am in. There is no need for an update.”

She holds her hands in front of her. “Right, of course.”

“I am afraid that I am also unclear as to how one should react to this situation. I suppose our backgrounds would make our coping strategies differ greatly, how I choose to cope will not always help someone else.”

“But what do you do?”

They seem to debate answering for a moment. “I prefer to de-stress by... watching others.”

"Watching them do what?"

"Anything. Walking around, talking, dancing, thinking. I simply observe."

“What? Isn’t that creepy?”

“So I’ve been told,” Kiyo mutters.

“I don’t see how watching other people makes someone calm down. If anything, it makes me more...” Tenko shakes her head, “I mean... less relaxed.”

“Is there a reason for that?”

She goes tense again, “Just... I see people doing things wrong. I know I can help them but no-one ever listens to me. They say I’m being _ pushy _ when I just want to tell them what’s right. Plus, lots of girls out there don’t understand how important it is to be more lady-like than what they end up doing.”

“I’m sensing a lot of frustration,” Kiyo says.

“I’m not frustrated,” Tenko replies through grit teeth, “I felt a lot more calm before you came over. Probably because you’re creepy.”

They roll their eyes, “Quite possibly. I suppose it’s my fault your shoulders are rising to your ears.”

Tenko drops her shoulders.

“I understand the stress you are under, I feel it too. The way I have come to see it, the world outside means very little to the one we have been trapped in. The past struggles and tensions hold no effect on what we face here. Letting go of the outside world may help you overcome whatever you are facing.”

“Are you just saying that because you’re a criminal in the outside world?” Tenko asks with narrow eyes.

“Not necessarily, though that is a part of it.” Their voice grows softer, “Please, keep dancing. If there is one good thing to bring into this world, it’s the beauty of movement.”

With that, Korekiyo turns and walks away. Their coat gently rises and falls behind them like a cape. 

Tenko stares off, not quite sure what to do. She feels her heart beating faster. She punches her chest. She groans in frustration. No, not frustration; she groans from a lack of clarity. She raises her arms above her head lets them slowly fall, breathing out with them. 

...

Ding dong, bing bong.

“OFFICIAL-ANNOUNCEMENT-FROM-THE-ULTIMATE-ACADEMY,” Monodam drones, “IT-IS-10-P.M. BED-TIME-URSINE.”

_ What was that about? _

Well, at least it’s nighttime now. You should really rest.

_ I wonder how Ryoma’s doing. _

...

Your sudden interest must come from the thing he said earlier. Not being needed. That does raise a lot of questions about how he’s doing. Is he okay? Does he need help? Is he... depressed? You think you’d be more anxious if you didn’t know what your Ultimate talent was but then again, you’re not Ryoma. Does he think he’s normal? Not that normal is bad, normal is just as important as abnormal. Normal is what keeps the world turning, right?

Are Miu’s words getting to you? All the things she said before she died...

_ “I hate a lot of things but by far the thing I hate the most is a shit-talking normie. Always getting in the way of what really matters and fucking everything up.” _

_ “You may not understand, I know how hard it is for normal people to understand.” _

_ “I can smell a normie from a mile away. Helps with gambling. Subtly manipulating your opponents into self-doubt makes for a better outcome... I’ve mastered the art of spotting and crippling a normal person.” _

That must have taken a toll on Ryoma. You really hope he’s okay. 

...

Would you like to participate in the casino night event?

Yes

No

[The casino night is completely optional and will not affect the story in total. If you are looking for a wholesome good time, this is where it is. The casino night event will take place at the end of the second daily life of this chapter but it requires a little set up first which is why both versions of this part will be published together.  
If you wish to participate in the casino night event, skip to the chapter after the next one and read as normal.]  
If you wish to continue the story, click "Next chapter" although you will have to manually skip to the next daily life. 


	12. Of Devils and Mischief and Prayers - Daily Life II

> No

You try to shove Miu’s thoughts out of your head and go to sleep.

* * *

[_MONOSHI rests upon a balcony in the cool winter night. The stars twinkle above as he takes a long drag from a cigarette, _

_ delicately placed between his paws. MONOMAMI leans _ _ against the doorframe to the left, flicking his mossy hair to the side._]

MONOMAMI Why are you still out here? It’s two in the morning.

MONOSHI (Sadly regarding cigar) Time doesn’t wait for us, even while we sleep. A night 

spent thinking alone is still a night better than one where I have thought of 

nothing, and time will punish me regardless.

MONOMAMI So you say time is wasted without thought? I find that rather silly.

MONOSHI Is that because you do not think?

MONOMAMI No, I do think. Thinking is what I do most too.

[_MONOMAMI stands up and strides to MONOSHI with his paws in his pockets. His _

_ coattails flow behind him in the breeze. He leans on the balcony just beside MONOSHI._]

MONOMAMI But you overestimate the importance of every thought. After all, not all of them 

can or should be trusted.

MONOSHI And what do you mean by that?

MONOMAMI Well, say that I walk down the street one morning. A dog barks at me from 

behind a very tall and well structured fence. The dog is small, the neighbour is 

very nice and I am far enough away from it that it poses no danger whatsoever. 

But say that I am also afraid of dogs. My thoughts tell me that I am in danger and 

need to run away. I become full of fear. Now tell me; is my time better spent 

thinking about all the ways I could die from a harmless beast or not thinking at 

all?

[_MONOSHI grunts but doesn’t respond. He takes another drag from the cigar._]

MONOMAMI A night spent thinking about untrustworthy thoughts is no better than a night 

not thinking at all. And time will reward you for choosing trustworthy thoughts, 

that’s what it means to truly live.

MONOSHI How can I trust any of my thoughts when you tell me they can betray me?

[_MONOMAMI shrugs and combs his paws through his hair. After a while, he takes out his _

_ ear piercings and stuffs them into his pockets._]

MONOMAMI How can you trust me when I say that our thoughts can betray us?

MONOSHI You gave me an example, some form of proof to help me believe. I can trust you.

MONOMAMI Then you can learn to trust yourself.

[_MONOMAMI pulls something out of his pocket. It’s a handkerchief. He turns away, _

_ MONOSHI looks out to the night sky._]

MONOSHI I need proof that I can trust myself. When I linger on thoughts, it doesn’t make 

me feel any better and time is wasted pondering something that may not be 

true. If I cannot prove myself wrong or right, how can I believe anything?

MONOMAMI I don’t know.

MONOSHI Huh?

[_MONOSHI turns his head. MONOMAMI grabs him and pulls him into a chokehold. With the other paw, _

_ he shoves the handkerchief onto MONOSHI’s face._]

MONOMAMI I do not know how you can trust yourself. I guess you never can. Why trust 

yourself when lies and deceit both plague the mind and what the mind sees?

[_MONOSHI falls limp in MONOMAMI’s arms. MONOMAMI checks MONOSHI’s pulse, then leans his ear to press against his chest. _

_ Confirming something, MONOMAMI drops the body and tags the cigar from MONOSHI’s hand. _

_ He breathes it in and puffs out some smoke._]

MONOMAMI Well, at least time rewarded you for staying out of your bed. You lived for an 

extra hour because you chose the right thought. That is a little silly, isn’t it?

[_MONOMAMI puts out the cigarette and exits stage left. The curtains draw to a close. The audience is slumped over_

_ in their seats. __The theatre is empty in sound, not a single breath is made nor a whisper or fidgeting creak._]

[_ The lights go out one-by-one. The doors are locked and another night passes. Not a thought is had. There is only silence. _]

_To be continued _

* * *

Ding dong, bing bong.

“Rise and shine, ursine!”

You groan and roll over.

“OFFICIAL-ANNOUNCEMENT-FROM-THE-ULTIMATE-ACADEMY,” Monodam says, “IT-IS-NOW-8-P.M.”

“Wowie! I can’t believe you’ve never done this before. You’re a natural!” Monotaro compliments.

“Shh! He’s getting to the best part!” Monophanie chides.

“HAVE-A-WONDERFUL-KILLING-SCHOOL-SEMESTER. DO-YOUR-BEST-TODAY.”

“Bravo!” Monotaro cheers. 

“Ya’ll better get up and check out the bitchin’ presents we left in your rooms! It’s gonna be hell from here on out, if you weren’t in it already that is!” says Monokid.

“So long, bear well!”

...Present?

You sit up from bed and look around the room. Sitting on the table by the lounge chair is what looks like a tablet. You swing your legs over the side and walk up to it. You pick it up. It has the same shape as a Monopad but instead of being black and white, it looks like it has splattered paint all over it. You flip it over, it says _ Kubs Pad _ on the back in fine print.

_ Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding _—

“What?!” you shout and open the door. You’re halfway through pulling on your sweater.

“Did you get one?” Tsumugi asks.

“The pad? Yeah, I did,” you say as you pull it over your torso. “Why?”

“Where is it? Have you watched it?”

“No I haven’t. Wait, why are you—”

Tsumugi pushes passed you and looks around your room. She finds your pad and picks it up. She dashes out of your room.

“Hey! Give that back, you can’t just keep on stealing our stuff!”

You assemble your other clothes and stumble out of your room. She’s nowhere in sight.

“Get back here, you bitch!” 

You look to your left, Kirumi’s door is open. Tsumugi bolts out of her room, carrying another Kubs Pad. She sees you and runs in the other direction. You start running after her but she’s really fast. Her little legs carry her much farther than yours. She loops around the dorm and then runs into her room. You don’t catch her.

“You’ll have to come out eventually! I’m not feeding you again!” you shout through the door.

Kirumi screams. She throws something in her room. Judging by the shatter, it was probably a lamp. 

“What is all this ruckus?” Rantaro groans, stepping out of his room.

“Tsumugi stole our Kubs Pads,” you say.

He shoves his hands into his pockets, “Right, so she’s stealing our motive again.”

“Is this about the flashback light?”

“I don’t think that’s really a motive. Monokuma did call it a prize, correct?”

“Did Kiyo tell you that?” you ask.

He pauses for a while. “Yes, they did. I was... investigating.”

“So I’ve been told,” you mumble.

The dorm doors slide open.

“Speak of the devil,” Rantaro says.

“I have been tasked to bring everyone to the dining hall for a class discussion,” Kiyo says.

Kirumi walks out of her room, grumbling, “Fucking hell, woke up to psycho bitch ringing on my doorbell and pushing me. I swear, I’m gonna—”

“Before that, let’s get to the dining hall,” Rantaro interrupts.

“Fine,” she says. She kicks the wall.

The four of you head to the dining hall. Angie sits at the table with a large sheet of paper. You can’t see the scribbles from here but you think you can see silhouettes of people on it. Himiko sits beside them and sips what smells like coffee. Tenko waits by the kitchen counter. She sees Kirumi. You can tell because she’s scowling.

“Is everyone else coming?” you ask.

“Kaito and Kibou are retrieving everyone else, yes,” says Kiyo.

“Are we gonna talk about the weird tablet things?” Himiko asks between sips.

“I assume so,” Rantaro answers.

“This has completely ruined my observation chart. How can I observe for God when we keep getting our natural clocks shaken up?” Angie’s voice is oddly tense.

“Natural clocks...?” you ask.

“What makes a person tick. When they wake up and go to sleep. What they do during the day. Things like that interest God in case one day, He comes down and walks among us.”

Himiko gulps the last of her coffee and shudders. “God, I hope this is strong enough. I didn’t sleep last night.”

“Yes, may we pray for our ability to stay awake,” Angie says.

Kaito flings the doors open and everyone else files in.

“I’m sure we all know why we’re here,” Kibou begins, “it’s about the Kubs Pads we received sometime in the night.”

“It’s Monokuma’s new motive,” Tenko adds.

“It’s a motive?” Kirumi asks.

Tenko blinks in surprise, “Have... have you not watched the video?”

“No cuz I was too busy sleeping and then when I woke up, Tsumugi stole it!”

“Ah, I see.” Tenko sounds somewhat disappointed.

“Wait, Tsumugi stole your video?” Kibou asks.

“It wasn’t just hers, she stole mine too,” you say.

“First the flashback light, now the motive,” Kiyo shakes their head, “what could be going on in that mind of hers?”

Maki sighs, “Who cares?”

“I do,” Ryoma says.

“Hm?”

“Those videos show the most important people in our lives. Why would we not want to see them?”

“We just said it was a motive, doesn’t that mean something?” Himiko drawls.

“Precisely.”

You soften your voice. “Hey, Ryoma—”

“Has this got something to do with yesterday? Finding yourself and being needed?” Kaito talks over you.

Ryoma looks away, “I’ve moved on from that. I know I'm nobody, I just want to know I have a reason to...” he trails off.

_ Have a reason to... have a reason to what? _

A terrible thought creeps in.

_ A reason to die...? _

“It’s still a motive! We can’t watch them or this game won’t end, don’t you get that?” Kaito shouts.

“If we exchange videos, we can see there’s a reason to keep fighting on,” Tenko says, “isn’t that a reason to watch them?”

“...I don’t follow,” Kibou says.

“Ignoring a motive seems foolish. Temptation and anticipation are very powerful,” Kiyo adds.

“Y-you’re seriously saying we should watch the motives designed to make us kill each other?!” Kirumi says, dumbfounded.

Kaito pumps his fists, “Hold on, we can’t watch them! I don’t care about your reasoning. We all wanna survive, right? If we don’t watch the videos, there’s no motive to kill!” 

“_ We all wanna survive, _” Ryoma mumbles, “sure, if you want to believe that.”

“Well, if you don’t want to survive, at least find a reason not to die!” Kirumi shouts.

“What does that mean?” Tenko asks.  
“If we kill, we get executed. If we die, we can’t do the things we love like rock out or... whatever it is you guys do! Don’t you remember Miu?”

Shuichi shivers, “Th-the way sh-she exploded...”

“Her death was so cruel. Everything all at once...” Himiko says.

“What? No, she died before that,” Kirumi says.

“...Before?” you ask

“When she was in the barrel, I heard choking. When her legs went limp, that’s when she died,” Kirumi clears her throat, “she... she was strangled to death.”

“Strangled?” Gonta parrots.

_ She died and we didn’t see it? Was that intentional? _

Kirumi shakes her head, “But the point is that no-one else needs to be executed! It was bad enough seeing a dead body but hearing them die is so much worse. That’s why we can’t watch the videos!”

Ryoma looks down at the candy cigarette in his hand. He twirls it between his fingers. Without another word, he leaves the dining hall.

“Wait, Ryoma,” you call to him.

“Will Ryoma be okay?” Gonta asks.

“I really hope so,” you say.

On Tenko’s request, Kiyo prepares another traditional breakfast. On Himiko’s request, she gets another two cups of coffee and returns to her art lab. You decide to head back to the dorms.

_ Free Time START! _

Kibou sits at the waterfall in the Shrine of Judgement. As horrible as the memories are, he can’t help but stare into the marble surroundings in awe. The waterfall behind him lets him escape reality if only for a moment. 

He isn’t quite sure what he should be doing. Meditating? Is that what people do in quiet spots? Some kind of grounding exercise or otherwise relaxing ritual? He vaguely recalls seeing Tenko with her legs crossed and her hands in a circle.

He brings his legs up to cross them, careful not to tip backwards into the water, and tries to copy what Tenko was doing. He thinks his eyes should be closed but he doesn’t really like closing his eyes. He’d like to think he isn’t constantly suspicious of everyone and everything but he has enough evidence to say otherwise. For one, he notices how restless he becomes when he thinks about leaving his door unlocked or going to the dining hall at night. Someone like him shouldn’t have to feel so nervous. An Ultimate Soldier scared of people like a model, a writer, a traditional dancer and a swimmer? 

Well, those aren’t the people he’s afraid of. Gonta could probably take him in a fight, not that he’d ever hope to be in one. Korekiyo’s talent also makes them a formidable foe if they play their cards right. Not to mention what the lucky student has been up to.

He doesn’t feel relaxed anymore. Instead, he anxiously watches the red door across from him.

Kibou flinches when the door opens. He uncrosses his legs. Given the distance, he could easily prepare himself for an attack. He could wait behind the door with a knife ready or—

Ryoma steps through the gap. Kibou lowers his shoulders.

“Oh, didn’t mean to interrupt you,” Ryoma apologises.

“No, you’re not interrupting anything.” Kibou tries to keep his sigh quiet.

Ryoma closes the door behind him and steps into the room. He starts at the walls with flowers and greenery. Tracing his fingers over the lush leaves, twirling his small fingers around the stringy vines hanging down. Kibou can only stare. The one person he isn’t sure about is gently lifting the petals with the end of his finger. Does he fear him for his mysteriousness or does he lower his guard on intuition? A man who doesn’t even know his own talent shouldn’t pose much of a threat but... he could never really know. Kibou coughs into his hand to clear his throat. 

“Excuse me, Ryoma. May I ask what you do when you are calm?”

Ryoma pauses. “I wouldn’t know.”

“I don’t follow,” Kibou tilts his head.

“I don’t really feel calm most of the time. I’m always thinking about something and then I feel worse. So no, I don’t know what I do when I’m calm.”

Kibou bites his lip, unsure how to respond. He looks down to his boots and kicks the wall with his heels. He watches the laces bounce up and down on impact.

“Do you often feel alone?” he asks.

“That’s a wild change in topics,” Ryoma says, masking himself with a chuckle.

“I work with people who suffer from trauma, PTSD and mental illnesses. I may not know everything about people but I think I can sense when something is wrong.” Kibou stands up from the wall, “I understand if you are afraid, I am too. I want to help you with whatever you may be feeling.”

Ryoma rolls his eyes, “No, don’t worry about it. You shouldn’t care about a guy like me.”

“That’s quite a negative thing to say.”

“I know.”

“Telling others how they should feel, even when you’re down, leads to unhealthier connections with them. I am offering my help. You are allowed to say no but I would prefer if you say it without telling me my efforts are useless.”

Ryoma looks at the ground. The sadness in his eyes never leaves but it does fluctuate with other things. What he’s thinking, Kibou doesn’t know. He walks towards Ryoma, careful not to walk too quickly and risk scaring him.

“Why do you care?” Ryoma asks, his voice low and bassy.

Kibou smiles, “Because we are outcasts.”

“You get along with Kaede.”

“So do you.”

“You actually have a talent.”

“Everyone is afraid of me _ because _ of my talent.”

Ryoma turns and looks up at Kibou. His smile is gone. Kibou stares down with a blank face, it would almost be creepy if it weren’t for the conversation.

“I can’t assure you that everything will turn out okay. I can’t be certain that we will all escape together. I can’t even say something meaningless about it’s all in your head.” Kibou crouches. Ryoma flinches but looks less tense when Kibou sits down. “But I can try to find some way to calm us down. My anxieties are making me more tense than I’d like, I think your thoughts are making it harder to connect with others. We both came here for a reason, let’s find it together.”

Ryoma doesn’t say anything. Looking down (if only slightly) on someone does make it easier to agree with them. Those big, blue eyes also make it very hard to say no, much to his bewilderment.

“Alright. I guess it would be uncool if I said no to that,” Ryoma sighs in defeat. 

Kibou beams as Ryoma sits beside him. They spend their time trying to figure out what is supposed to happen when they’re meditating.

...

Himiko leans in close. She focuses every last cell she has on this one spot, careful precision in her fingers around the end. She holds her breath. This is it.

She gently strokes the pencil over the canvas. She steps back from the easel. She frowns, takes an eraser and rubs it out. 

“I never thought I’d get to see the Ultimate Artist at work,” Tsumugi gushes, staring at a distance.

“Don’t get used to it ‘cause I’m not doing this for you again,” Himiko says.

“Even if I paid you more?”

Himiko thinks for a moment. She resumes sketching. “You’d have to pay me double the usual price.”

“Done and done!” Tsumugi giggles, “Anything is worth the price if I get to watch an Ultimate working on something for me. I almost feel second-hand jealousy from everyone else in the world who can’t witness this moment!”

“Be quiet or I’ll make you pay triple.”

Tsumugi makes a zipping motion over her lips and then flicks away the invisible key. 

Himiko continues to sketch. Why she agreed to this mainly has to do with the new rule that was updated a couple of hours ago.

_ The school store merchandise will no longer be free to access. From now on, anything and everything must be purchased with Monocoins. _

It’s a stupid rule because now Himiko can’t just grab paint whenever she wants. It's getting too realistic to the outside world. She did feel suspicious about accepting money from Tsumugi of all people but if it pays the bills then she figured she could hold off on being picky. Of course, that didn’t stop her from being uncomfortable the whole time.

“You know, most people don’t watch the artist as they do their commissions. It’s kind of... freaky,” Himiko says, erasing some lines.

Tsumugi shrugs.

“I still don’t know why you picked up a bunch of Monocoins and then decided to use them for a commission. You probably could have just bought a painting, the store has everything.”

Tsumugi leans against the wall.

“And out of everything you could have commissioned, why something so specific?” She tilts her head at the canvas, “And why Kaito? Do you just hate him that much?”

Tsumugi looks away.

She sighs, “You’re allowed to talk.”

“Oh, thank you,” Tsumugi grins, “I can’t tell you why exactly but no, I don’t hate him. If anything, this is more about what happens during the creative process.”

“You want me to paint something because you want to watch me paint?”

“I want to see how you’ll react.”

Himiko tenses her brows, “Alright, weirdo.”

Tsumugi walks away from the wall and looks over Himiko’s shoulder. The shorter of the two can’t help but nervously sweat while staring at the rough sketch. Tsumugi taps her finger on her chin and makes a contemplative humming sound.

“I think it would be better if his hair stood up a little higher,” she says.

Himiko mumbles, “I think it would be better if you left.”

Tsumugi nods and walks out of the lab. Himiko shakes her head and continues to sketch, grumbling about how stupid this is.

...

Maki hears a knock. She opens the lab door.

“No,” she says and closes it again.

There’s more knocking.

She opens a latch, her glare is the only thing visible. “I said, “_ No. _””

“I come in peace, I just wanted to give you some ideas about some new inventions,” Tsumugi says.

“I don’t care. Go away,” Maki spits.

“Why? I thought you wanted some new ideas. Unless you want to be the Ultimate Inventor of washing machines.”

Maki narrows her eyes, “How did you know about those?”  
“Your clothes are too clean,” Tsumugi stands on her toes and tries to peer through the latch, “plus, your lab smells like washing powder.”

“Don’t tell anyone about them. I can’t have everyone lining up at my door when I’m trying to work, I’m not a maid.”

“No, you’re not,” Tsumugi whispers.

Maki shifts her eyes around. The latch closes with a quick _ screech _ and then a _ clunk _. The lab door opens slightly. Maki looks around the area and then back to Tsumugi. She looks down at the papers clutched in Tsumugi’s hands.

“You got blueprints?”

“Y-you’re actually—”

“I won’t make it. I’m just curious. I won’t take ideas that are said at me, only stuff that is written down.”

Tsumugi hands the papers to Maki. She considers them, focusing in on the bigger idea over the useless details she knows won’t help. Tsumugi is no artist, that much is obvious. But the idea itself...

She rolls the papers into a tube. “Don’t ever knock on my door again, got it?”

Tsumugi nods and gives a thumbs up.

Maki steps back into her lab and slams the door shut. Pleased with herself, Tsumugi turns and walks away.

...

Ding dong, bing bong.

“This is an official announcement from the Ultimate Academy. It is now 10 P.M!” Monotaro says.

You throw a pillow at the monitor.

You quickly fall asleep.


	13. Of Devils and Mischief and Prayers - Daily Life II (+ Casino Night Event)

> Yes

You decide to pay Miu’s room a visit again. 

You unlock the door and step inside.

“Hey, do you mind if I take a pack?” you ask no-one, “I’d... I think it would cheer everyone up.”

You don’t get a response, not that you expected one. You don’t want to touch the ones lying on the table. It would feel like defacing a crime scene more than you already have. Luckily, there’s another pack at the foot of her bed. You slide some out of the box. It’s a standard pack, nothing fancy. The box is a nice pink rather than the more common red, making it a little more aggressive. You slip the cards out of the box, setting it down on the bed and fan the deck. 

It’s... the deck has been sorted by suites. From hearts to diamonds to spades to clubs. In ascending order. Either this pack has never been opened before or someone sorted through these and ordered them themselves. Judging by the fact that there was no plastic casing over the box, you’re going to assume it’s the latter.

_ Why would Miu order her cards like this? _

Was it out of superstition? You’ve heard of entering the room with a lucky foot forward or bringing lucky charms. Did Miu think it was better to leave the cards unshuffled? Is this a decorative pack? Did she think this was some kind of lucky charm? 

Now you’re a bit more hesitant to use it.

You slide the cards back together, careful not to disrupt the pattern. You put the cards in and close the box. You drop it back on the bed where you found it.

A quick look around leads you to another pack on the sofa chair. You flick through the deck. It’s properly shuffled. At least, you think so...

2 of hearts, 3 of clubs, 3 of spades, 4 of hearts, 5 of diamonds, 5 of spades, 6 of hearts, 6 of clubs, 7 of spades...

Okay, so hearts are sorted by even numbers first. The spades are sorted by odd numbers first. Clubs might be for multiples of three...? No clue what’s going on with diamonds. A couple of skims over, the diamonds are only for 5 and 10. The rest are at the back in random order. This is a really weird way of sorting cards. Or is this random? No, it’s too calculated to be random. 

...Is it?

You push the cards back in the box and slip them into your bag.

“I’m taking this deck,” you say, closing the door behind you, “and I’m undoing what you did.”

You wake up earlier than the morning announcement. You get yourself ready and walk to Kiyo’s room. You ring the intercom.

Kiyo opens the door almost immediately. They look somewhat surprised but still awake. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“How would you feel about helping me organise a big casino night for everyone? I want everyone to relax and feel less tense.”

They consider it. You can’t read their face (mostly because of the mask) but you hope it’s a positive reaction.

“I think that is a wonderful idea. I find it delightful that you would want to bring happiness to everyone here,” they say.

They invite you inside to talk more. The rest of the morning is spent planning, designing and talking. You can’t help but get the feeling you’re being watched.

* * *

Ding dong, bing bong.

“Rise and shine, ursine!”

You groan and roll over.

“OFFICIAL-ANNOUNCEMENT-FROM-THE-ULTIMATE-ACADEMY,” Monodam says, “IT-IS-NOW-8-P.M.”

“Wowie! I can’t believe you’ve never done this before. You’re a natural!” Monotaro compliments.

“Shh! He’s getting to the best part!” Monophanie chides.

“HAVE-A-WONDERFUL-KILLING-SCHOOL-SEMESTER. DO-YOUR-BEST-TODAY.”

“Bravo!” Monotaro cheers. 

“Ya’ll better get up and check out the bitchin’ presents we left in your rooms! It’s gonna be hell from here on out, if you weren’t in it already that is!” says Monokid.

“So long, bear well!”

...Present?

You sit up from bed and look around the room. Sitting on the table by the lounge chair is what looks like a tablet. You swing your legs over the side and walk up to it. You pick it up. It has the same shape as a Monopad but instead of being black and white, it looks like it has splattered paint all over it. You flip it over, it says _ Kubs Pad _ on the back in fine print.

_ Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding _—

“What?!” you shout and open the door. You’re halfway through pulling on your sweater.

“Did you get one?” Tsumugi asks.

“The pad? Yeah, I did,” you say as you pull it over your torso. “Why?”

“Where is it? Have you watched it?”

“No I haven’t. Wait, why are you—”

Tsumugi pushes passed you and looks around your room. She finds your pad and picks it up. She dashes out of your room.

“Hey! Give that back, you can’t just keep on stealing our stuff!”

You assemble your other clothes and stumble out of your room. She’s nowhere in sight.

“Get back here, you bitch!” 

You look to your left, Kirumi’s door is open. Tsumugi bolts out of her room, carrying another Kubs Pad. She sees you and runs in the other direction. You start running after her but she’s really fast. Her little legs carry her much farther than yours. She loops around the dorm and then runs into her room. You don’t catch her.

“You’ll have to come out eventually! I’m not feeding you again!” you shout through the door.

Kirumi screams. She throws something in her room. Judging by the shatter, it was probably a lamp. 

“What is all this ruckus?” Rantaro groans, stepping out of his room.

“Tsumugi stole our Kubs Pads,” you say.

He shoves his hands into his pockets, “Right, so she’s stealing our motive again.”

“Is this about the flashback light?”

“I don’t think that’s really a motive. Monokuma did call it a prize, correct?”

“Did Kiyo tell you that?” you ask.

He pauses for a while. “Yes, they did. I was... investigating.”

“So I’ve been told,” you mumble.

The dorm doors slide open.

“Speak of the devil,” Rantaro says.

“I have been tasked to bring everyone to the dining hall for a class discussion,” Kiyo says.

Kirumi walks out of her room, grumbling, “Fucking hell, woke up to psycho bitch ringing on my doorbell and pushing me. I swear, I’m gonna—”

“Before that, let’s get to the dining hall,” Rantaro interrupts.

“Fine,” she says. She kicks the wall.

The four of you head to the dining hall. Angie sits at the table with a large sheet of paper. You can’t see the scribbles from here but you think you can see silhouettes of people on it. Himiko sits beside them and sips what smells like coffee. Tenko waits by the kitchen counter. She sees Kirumi. You can tell because she’s scowling.

“Is everyone else coming?” you ask.

“Kaito and Kibou are retrieving everyone else, yes,” says Kiyo.

“Are we gonna talk about the weird tablet things?” Himiko asks between sips.

“I assume so,” Rantaro answers.

“This has completely ruined my observation chart. How can I observe for God when we keep getting our natural clocks shaken up?” Angie’s voice is oddly tense.

“Natural clocks...?” you ask.

“What makes a person tick. When they wake up and go to sleep. What they do during the day. Things like that interest God in case one day, He comes down and walks among us.”

Himiko gulps the last of her coffee and shudders. “God, I hope this is strong enough. I didn’t sleep last night.”

“Yes, may we pray for our ability to stay awake,” Angie says.

Kaito flings the doors open and everyone else files in.

“I’m sure we all know why we’re here,” Kibou begins, “it’s about the Kubs Pads we received sometime in the night.”

“It’s Monokuma’s new motive,” Tenko adds.

“It’s a motive?” Kirumi asks.

Tenko blinks in surprise, “Have... have you not watched the video?”

“No cuz I was too busy sleeping and then when I woke up, Tsumugi stole it!”

“Ah, I see.” Tenko sounds somewhat disappointed.

“Wait, Tsumugi stole your video?” Kibou asks.

“It wasn’t just hers, she stole mine too,” you say.

“First the flashback light, now the motive,” Kiyo shakes their head, “what could be going on in that mind of hers?”

Maki sighs, “Who cares?”

“I do,” Ryoma says.

“Hm?”

“Those videos show the most important people in our lives. Why would we not want to see them?”

“We just said it was a motive, doesn’t that mean something?” Himiko drawls.

“Precisely.”

You soften your voice. “Hey, Ryoma—”

“Has this got something to do with yesterday? Finding yourself and being needed?” Kaito talks over you.

Ryoma looks away, “I’ve moved on from that. I know I'm nobody, I just want to know I have a reason to...” he trails off.

_ Have a reason to... have a reason to what? _

A terrible thought creeps in.

_ A reason to die...? _

“It’s still a motive! We can’t watch them or this game won’t end, don’t you get that?” Kaito shouts.

“If we exchange videos, we can see there’s a reason to keep fighting on,” Tenko says, “isn’t that a reason to watch them?”

“...I don’t follow,” Kibou says.

“Ignoring a motive seems foolish. Temptation and anticipation are very powerful,” Kiyo adds.

“Y-you’re seriously saying we should watch the motives designed to make us kill each other?!” Kirumi says, dumbfounded.

Kaito pumps his fists, “Hold on, we can’t watch them! I don’t care about your reasoning. We all wanna survive, right? If we don’t watch the videos, there’s no motive to kill!” 

“_ We all wanna survive, _” Ryoma mumbles, “sure, if you want to believe that.”

“Well, if you don’t want to survive, at least find a reason not to die!” Kirumi shouts.

“What does that mean?” Tenko asks.  
“If we kill, we get executed. If we die, we can’t do the things we love like rock out or... whatever it is you guys do! Don’t you remember Miu?”

Shuichi shivers, “Th-the way sh-she exploded...”

“Her death was so cruel. Everything all at once...” Himiko says.

“What? No, she died before that,” Kirumi says.

“...Before?” you ask

“When she was in the barrel, I heard choking. When her legs went limp, that’s when she died,” Kirumi clears her throat, “she... she was strangled to death.”

“Strangled?” Gonta parrots.

_ She died and we didn’t see it? Was that intentional? _

Kirumi shakes her head, “But the point is that no-one else needs to be executed! It was bad enough seeing a dead body but hearing them die is so much worse. That’s why we can’t watch the videos!”

Ryoma looks down at the candy cigarette in his hand. He twirls it between his fingers. Without another word, he leaves the dining hall.

“Wait, Ryoma,” you call to him.

“Will Ryoma be okay?” Gonta asks.

“I really hope so,” you say.

On Tenko’s request, Kiyo prepares another traditional breakfast. On Himiko’s request, she gets another two cups of coffee and returns to her art lab. You decide to head back to the dorms.

_ Free Time START! _

Kibou sits at the waterfall in the Shrine of Judgement. As horrible as the memories are, he can’t help but stare into the marble surroundings in awe. The waterfall behind him lets him escape reality if only for a moment. 

He isn’t quite sure what he should be doing. Meditating? Is that what people do in quiet spots? Some kind of grounding exercise or otherwise relaxing ritual? He vaguely recalls seeing Tenko with her legs crossed and her hands in a circle.

He brings his legs up to cross them, careful not to tip backwards into the water, and tries to copy what Tenko was doing. He thinks his eyes should be closed but he doesn’t really like closing his eyes. He’d like to think he isn’t constantly suspicious of everyone and everything but he has enough evidence to say otherwise. For one, he notices how restless he becomes when he thinks about leaving his door unlocked or going to the dining hall at night. Someone like him shouldn’t have to feel so nervous. An Ultimate Soldier scared of people like a model, a writer, a traditional dancer and a swimmer? 

Well, those aren’t the people he’s afraid of. Gonta could probably take him in a fight, not that he’d ever hope to be in one. Korekiyo’s talent also makes them a formidable foe if they play their cards right. Not to mention what the lucky student has been up to.

He doesn’t feel relaxed anymore. Instead, he anxiously watches the red door across from him.

Kibou flinches when the door opens. He uncrosses his legs. Given the distance, he could easily prepare himself for an attack. He could wait behind the door with a knife ready or—

Ryoma steps through the gap. Kibou lowers his shoulders.

“Oh, didn’t mean to interrupt you,” Ryoma apologises.

“No, you’re not interrupting anything.” Kibou tries to keep his sigh quiet.

Ryoma closes the door behind him and steps into the room. He starts at the walls with flowers and greenery. Tracing his fingers over the lush leaves, twirling his small fingers around the stringy vines hanging down. Kibou can only stare. The one person he isn’t sure about is gently lifting the petals with the end of his finger. Does he fear him for his mysteriousness or does he lower his guard on intuition? A man who doesn’t even know his own talent shouldn’t pose much of a threat but... he could never really know. Kibou coughs into his hand to clear his throat. 

“Excuse me, Ryoma. May I ask what you do when you are calm?”

Ryoma pauses. “I wouldn’t know.”

“I don’t follow,” Kibou tilts his head.

“I don’t really feel calm most of the time. I’m always thinking about something and then I feel worse. So no, I don’t know what I do when I’m calm.”

Kibou bites his lip, unsure how to respond. He looks down to his boots and kicks the wall with his heels. He watches the laces bounce up and down on impact.

“Do you often feel alone?” he asks.

“That’s a wild change in topics,” Ryoma says, masking himself with a chuckle.

“I work with people who suffer from trauma, PTSD and mental illnesses. I may not know everything about people but I think I can sense when something is wrong.” Kibou stands up from the wall, “I understand if you are afraid, I am too. I want to help you with whatever you may be feeling.”

Ryoma rolls his eyes, “No, don’t worry about it. You shouldn’t care about a guy like me.”

“That’s quite a negative thing to say.”

“I know.”

“Telling others how they should feel, even when you’re down, leads to unhealthier connections with them. I am offering my help. You are allowed to say no but I would prefer if you say it without telling me my efforts are useless.”

Ryoma looks at the ground. The sadness in his eyes never leaves but it does fluctuate with other things. What he’s thinking, Kibou doesn’t know. He walks towards Ryoma, careful not to walk too quickly and risk scaring him.

“Why do you care?” Ryoma asks, his voice low and bassy.

Kibou smiles, “Because we are outcasts.”

“You get along with Kaede.”

“So do you.”

“You actually have a talent.”

“Everyone is afraid of me _ because _ of my talent.”

Ryoma turns and looks up at Kibou. His smile is gone. Kibou stares down with a blank face, it would almost be creepy if it weren’t for the conversation.

“I can’t assure you that everything will turn out okay. I can’t be certain that we will all escape together. I can’t even say something meaningless about it’s all in your head.” Kibou crouches. Ryoma flinches but looks less tense when Kibou sits down. “But I can try to find some way to calm us down. My anxieties are making me more tense than I’d like, I think your thoughts are making it harder to connect with others. We both came here for a reason, let’s find it together.”

Ryoma doesn’t say anything. Looking down (if only slightly) on someone does make it easier to agree with them. Those big, blue eyes also make it very hard to say no, much to his bewilderment.

“Alright. I guess it would be uncool if I said no to that,” Ryoma sighs in defeat. 

Kibou beams as Ryoma sits beside him. They spend their time trying to figure out what is supposed to happen when they’re meditating.

...

Himiko leans in close. She focuses every last cell she has on this one spot, careful precision in her fingers around the end. She holds her breath. This is it.

She gently strokes the pencil over the canvas. She steps back from the easel. She frowns, takes an eraser and rubs it out. 

“I never thought I’d get to see the Ultimate Artist at work,” Tsumugi gushes, staring at a distance.

“Don’t get used to it ‘cause I’m not doing this for you again,” Himiko says.

“Even if I paid you more?”

Himiko thinks for a moment. She resumes sketching. “You’d have to pay me double the usual price.”

“Done and done!” Tsumugi giggles, “Anything is worth the price if I get to watch an Ultimate working on something for me. I almost feel second-hand jealousy from everyone else in the world who can’t witness this moment!”

“Be quiet or I’ll make you pay triple.”

Tsumugi makes a zipping motion over her lips and then flicks away the invisible key. 

Himiko continues to sketch. Why she agreed to this mainly has to do with the new rule that was updated a couple of hours ago.

_ The school store merchandise will no longer be free to access. From now on, anything and everything must be purchased with Monocoins. _

It’s a stupid rule because now Himiko can’t just grab paint whenever she wants. It's getting too realistic to the outside world. She did feel suspicious about accepting money from Tsumugi of all people but if it pays the bills then she figured she could hold off on being picky. Of course, that didn’t stop her from being uncomfortable the whole time.

“You know, most people don’t watch the artist as they do their commissions. It’s kind of... freaky,” Himiko says, erasing some lines.

Tsumugi shrugs.

“I still don’t know why you picked up a bunch of Monocoins and then decided to use them for a commission. You probably could have just bought a painting, the store has everything.”

Tsumugi leans against the wall.

“And out of everything you could have commissioned, why something so specific?” She tilts her head at the canvas, “And why Kaito? Do you just hate him that much?”

Tsumugi looks away.

She sighs, “You’re allowed to talk.”

“Oh, thank you,” Tsumugi grins, “I can’t tell you why exactly but no, I don’t hate him. If anything, this is more about what happens during the creative process.”

“You want me to paint something because you want to watch me paint?”

“I want to see how you’ll react.”

Himiko tenses her brows, “Alright, weirdo.”

Tsumugi walks away from the wall and looks over Himiko’s shoulder. The shorter of the two can’t help but nervously sweat while staring at the rough sketch. Tsumugi taps her finger on her chin and makes a contemplative humming sound.

“I think it would be better if his hair stood up a little higher,” she says.

Himiko mumbles, “I think it would be better if you left.”

Tsumugi nods and walks out of the lab. Himiko shakes her head and continues to sketch, grumbling about how stupid this is.

...

Maki hears a knock. She opens the lab door.

“No,” she says and closes it again.

There’s more knocking.

She opens a latch, her glare is the only thing visible. “I said, “_ No. _””

“I come in peace, I just wanted to give you some ideas about some new inventions,” Tsumugi says.

“I don’t care. Go away,” Maki spits.

“Why? I thought you wanted some new ideas. Unless you want to be the Ultimate Inventor of washing machines.”

Maki narrows her eyes, “How did you know about those?”  
“Your clothes are too clean,” Tsumugi stands on her toes and tries to peer through the latch, “plus, your lab smells like washing powder.”

“Don’t tell anyone about them. I can’t have everyone lining up at my door when I’m trying to work, I’m not a maid.”

“No, you’re not,” Tsumugi whispers.

Maki shifts her eyes around. The latch closes with a quick _ screech _ and then a _ clunk _. The lab door opens slightly. Maki looks around the area and then back to Tsumugi. She looks down at the papers clutched in Tsumugi’s hands.

“You got blueprints?”

“Y-you’re actually—”

“I won’t make it. I’m just curious. I won’t take ideas that are said at me, only stuff that is written down.”

Tsumugi hands the papers to Maki. She considers them, focusing in on the bigger idea over the useless details she knows won’t help. Tsumugi is no artist, that much is obvious. But the idea itself...

She rolls the papers into a tube. “Don’t ever knock on my door again, got it?”

Tsumugi nods and gives a thumbs up.

Maki steps back into her lab and slams the door shut. Pleased with herself, Tsumugi turns and walks away.

...

You and Kiyo had been telling everyone to come to the casino all day. Mysteriously, everyone came to the dorms at the same time. You don’t know why.

Ding dong!

“One moment!”

You open the door to see no-one there. 

“DOWN-HERE.”

You look down to see Monodam. You’re not anticipating anything good.

“What do you want?”

“I-HEARD-ABOUT-YOUR-PLAN-FOR-THE-CASINO-NIGHT. GOOD-WAY-FOR-EVERYONE-TO-GET-ALONG.”

“Yeah...” You fidget with your sweater.

“I-WANT-TO-HELP-SO-WE-CAN-GET-ALONG. I-HAVE-GIVEN-EVERYONE-THEIR-OUTFITS. WOULD-YOU-LIKE-TO-SEE-YOURS?”

“Outfits?”

Monodam runs passed you and guides you to your wardrobe. They tap on the door, urging you to open it. You open it, really hoping it’s not as bad as you think it will be. 

The first thing that hits you is the overwhelming smell of recently washed fabric. Whatever was being washed, it was done with really strong detergent. The second thing that hits you is how purple your newest addition to your wardrobe is. A large purple ball gown with ruffles flowing down on all sides. A split in the front revealing white underneath. If you look closer, there’s something written on the white. You gently pinch the fabric and pull it into the light. 

“_ You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how, _ ” you read aloud. “ _ You are my heart, my life, my one and only thought. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night. She is beautiful without knowing it, and possesses charms that she’s not even aware of. She is like a trap set by nature - a sweet perfumed rose in whose petals Cupid lurks in ambush! Anyone who has seen her smile has known perfection.” _

You can’t help but gasp. “This is...”

“IT-WAS-TAILORED-JUST-FOR-YOU. IT-WILL-FIT-YOU-PERFECTLY.”

You take down the dress from the wardrobe. On the top of the coat hanger, there’s a purple bow with sparkles pinned to it. You look at how slim the waist is.

“You really think this will fit?”

“SPECIALLY-MADE-FOR-YOU,” Monodam repeats. “I-WILL-LEAVE-YOU-TO-GET-READY. HAVE-FUN-AND-GET-ALONG.”

Monodam disappears, leaving you to stare at the gown. The heart shaped bust, the sparkles around the waist, the off-the-shoulder sleeves, the detailed, swirling patterns on the torso. How the hell did someone make this? Was it made today? God, you have so many questions.

_ I need to put this on right now. _

You slip into the dress but the zipper is a little hard to get into. No matter how much you fumble with it, you can’t seem to get it all the way up. You sigh. This dress is absolutely perfect in every other respect. How it could have been tailored without you knowing it beyond you.

You think you might have to ask Kiyo to do your hair, they seem like the kind of person who would know what to do with it.

Ding dong!

You hesitate. You’re not undressed but you’re not fully dressed either. Does the zip count? It feels naked. Are you naked?

Knock knock knock.

_ I’m wearing a dress, what am I saying?! I’m fine! _

You pull up the dress as much as you can and open the door. 

Kibou stands at the door, fiddling with something in his hands. He’s wearing a three piece suit with a double breasted jacket that isn’t done up properly. The lapels are teal, the collared shirt underneath is light blue and the thing he’s fiddling with looks like an unfolded baby blue bowtie. It really draws attention to his eyes. His hands are also bare.

Kibou doesn’t give a greeting. He just stares. Down the ruffles and the writing. He’s struck dumb.

“Hey,” you say, “I’m almost done so...”

“That looks really pretty,” he says with awe in his voice.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

He blinks, “I didn’t mean to say you look bad.”

“No, it’s just a thing friends say. It means you look good too.”

“Oh, I see.”

The fact that he doesn’t look quite finished either does make you feel better. Not that holding up your bust is comfortable under any circumstances but it is better.

He scratches his neck and hands you the bowtie, “Um... I was wondering if you knew what to do with this? I can’t seem to figure it out.”

You invite him in and close the door behind you. You ask him if he can do up your dress first. He flusters but says yes. You roll your eyes. Kibou pushes the hair off of your back, his fingers accidentally trailing your skin. He pinches the fabric and pulls the zipper all the way up. When you turn to face him, you notice how sweaty he is. He apologises but you get the feeling he’s only going to get more flustered. 

You tell him to come closer and he reluctantly complies. You wrap the tie around his neck. You’ve only done this once before but you doubt it’s much harder than tying a regular tie. One side hangs lower than the other, cross it over and then go under. Fold into a bow shape and wrap the other side over it.

“Stop squirming,” you try not to giggle.

“S-sorry. I’m not used to not wearing my vest.”

You finish off the bow and flick it with your finger. Kibou looks down at it. He fiddles around with the bow, feeling his fingers over the fabric.

“Thank you,” he says with a soft smile.

“We should meet everyone else now, I’m scared we’re going to be late.”

He nods and you set off to the casino.

You have company so you decide not to use the GPS function, even if it does mean you are travelling significantly slower. It would seem rude. You’d like to think you weren’t rude. Well, maybe a little but not enough to be a personality trait. Or is that just your own perspective? You might be very rude, you wouldn’t know. You might be the most rude person here. You could even be—

“Kaede,” Kibou interrupts, “are you alright? You look out of it.”

You shake your head, “Sorry. I just... got caught up in something.”

He looks uneasy. That answer probably didn’t convince him that you were _ alright. _ In a way, you’re not. This dress makes you nervous, seeing everyone else will make you nervous and your self-introspection seems to be hitting you at an incredibly inconvenient time. First sleeping in with weird dreams, now this? Come on, Kaede, pull it together.

“Forget about it. Let’s enjoy ourselves! We deserve it.”

You pull open the casino doors. Orange light bathes you and for a moment, you are completely blinded. Then...

“Hey, Kaede’s here!”

Kaito’s voice makes you sigh with relief. You blink away the light and see a carpeted brown floor, a wooden railing that encloses a set of stairs going downwards and an arch with LED lights above the first step, more lights shining from above and a few chairs stacked beside the walls.

Oh, not to mention the people inside.

Each person you see is decked in their own brand of gorgeous from Maki’s red and black 50’s inspired dress to Tenko’s black kimono with vibrant pink flowers and golden highlights to Rantaro’s red three piece suit and black gloves. Gonta has chosen to arrive in a regular suit and green bowtie making for an all around handsome look. Kaito looks like he gelled his hair so it’s slick and pointed back. A couple of designs aren’t as... formal. Kirumi, for example, is more dressed like a sexy goth than a formal gal. Fishnets cover her arms and legs, she wears a tight corset and another shredded skirt that’s all black and more translucent in design. You can practically feel the glares she must be getting from Tenko. Korekiyo stands tall with a black kimono cardigan with sparkly dragons decorated on the back and long black pants. The flowy sleeves show detailed tattoos on their arms. Despite that, you can’t help but smile at their hair tied up in a messy bun and a large pink flower pinned near their ear. Himiko has put little effort into hers with a clay stained red blazer, a T-shirt and jeans. Angie is bouncing around in a floral yellow jumpsuit and a small woolen cardigan.

“Whoa,” is all you can stand to say.

Kibou gives you a wide grin as you both step into the room. You receive lots of awed looks and compliments on your dress. Maki nods in your general direction which is good enough in your eyes. 

The crowd splits to make a walkway. Tsumugi walks through the gap, placing a hand on her hip as she reaches you. You have to hold back any sign of displeasure. You will admit, she is kind of cute in suspenders. She gives you a long look. You’re not sure if the light is making her look that way or if she’s blushing so much her face has turned red.

She smiles and looks down. “Love seeketh not itself to please, Nor for itself hath any care; But for another gives its ease, And builds a Heaven in Hell’s despair.”

You blink, “I... don’t remember seeing that on the dress.”

“Me neither,” she says.

Kaito folds his arms, “If she’s ever bothering you, you let me know, alright?”

“Good on you! Playing the knight, just what I expected!” Tsumugi taps her chin in thought, “Now, a knight of _ what _? Hm... much to ponder.”

Kaito steps forward but you hold out a hand to stop him. 

Rantaro clears his throat, “While I do propose we should start as soon as possible lest we waste much time, we seem to be short of a person.”

“Yes, yes! Shuichi has not arrived!” Angie adds.

“I would have thought he’d show up to a fancy event like this, given his talent,” Tsumugi says.

“Although, he does seem to have an awful amount of anxiety,” you say.

“That is true,” Kiyo plays with their hair, gently stroking some flower petals through it. “Still, it would not be right to start without him. He did look the most excited to go.”

“You saw him?”

“I did. I was in one of my observing spots and watching people come and go. Monodam appeared in front of Kirumi and Shuichi to deliver my invite and-”

“Whoa whoa whoa, wait wait, hold up, stop one second. You were _ watching _ us?” Kirumi interrupts, waving her arms around.

Kiyo frowns, “I was observing the school grounds to make sure everyone had received an invitation. Monodam insisted that he would have that under control and I wanted to make sure everyone was invited.”

“You could have left Tsumugi out of it,” Himiko grumbles.

Kaito shakes his head. “He’ll show up. If he doesn’t, I’ll go bang on the door and make him come.”

“That’s the spirit!” Tsumugi claps.

You notice that Kibou has been staring at the door the whole time. Is he waiting for Shuichi or does he want to leave? He looked excited to come, why would he want to leave before it’s begun? You ask if he’s alright. He holds up a finger. Now you’re worried. The other time someone did that, giant mechs fell from the ceiling and almost crushed your classmates. Kirumi stands to your other side. She smirks. These two obviously know something you don’t.

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to start the party without him,” she pantomimes, “I mean, if he’s nowhere in sight then it’s safe to say he’s not coming.”

There’s a knock on the door.  
“Oh? Who could that be?” she asks while strutting to the doors. She makes a big show out of putting her hand on the handle and building up suspense. She pulls them open and steps aside.

  
  


He’s blinding at first. You can barely see his face under the glitter and fancy clothes. Kirumi gestures like a game show prize presenter showing off a car. 

Shuichi walks inside, dragging behind him a veil of glitter on the carpet. He rests one arm on his shoulder, emphasising the skin he’s showing. His hips have definitely seen the catwalk by the way he carries himself down the parted sea of guests. Shuichi is, to put it simply, gorgeous.

“S-sorry I’m late,” he says, turning around to face the crowd.

The crowd is struck silent. Several faces have turned red. You spare a glance to Kirumi. She’s grinning like a proud parent at a competitive school event. Kibou appears to be flustered again. You wonder if Shuichi is wearing the deoderant you gave him. You take notes on who looks the most flustered.

_ Kibou, Kaito, Gonta, Maki, Himiko, and Kiyo. Ryoma and Rantaro are a little pink. The remainders are just staring at his clothes. _

Your cheeks are strained and you’re suddenly sweating.

_ Guess that puts me on the list as well. _

“Now that everyone is here,” Angie begins, “why don’t we move this party downstairs? I was looking around earlier and that’s where the games and fun things are!”

They leap down the stairs while everyone else takes time to recover. Tenko is the first to follow them. People swarm Shuichi and ask about his clothes and makeup while you roll your eyes and drag Kibou down the stairs.

You and Kibou walk around the second floor to get a good look before everyone else. Unlike upstairs, the second floor is bathed in blue rather than orange. Loud, flashing machines are scattered around the room with teasing screens drawing their victims in. Ryoma, Kirumi, Tenko and Rantaro walk down the stairs. 

“Oh, sick! Someone made drinks!” Kirumi shouts while rushing over to a table on the other side of the room. She grabs a plastic cup, fills it with some sparkling drink and downs it all in one go. Tenko groans in disgust.

“I assume Kiyo made those. I sure as hell didn’t,” you say.

“Let’s see... they’ve got sparkly lemonade.” Kirumi downs a cup of something else. “Cola.” She drinks something else. She cringes and flicks her tongue. “Ginger beer.”

“A horrid drink,” Tenko mutters.

_ Good, they’ve got something in common. _

“Water... fruit juices... purple flavoured...”

“What does purple flavoured mean?” Rantaro asks.

“It’s like grape but it’s not grape. Artificial stuff. It’s weird.”

_ Neeheehee! _

You shake your head.

“Well, since everyone else is upstairs with Shuichi, I suppose we should make the best of it and set ourselves up,” Rantaro looks down with a smile. “Care to join me on the slots?”

“It would be my pleasure,” you say in a snooty accent.

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Wha— I mean, I’m sorry if—”

“I’m kidding,” he chuckles.

He offers a hand like a gentleman. You take it and he guides you to a slot machine.

“Oh, I forgot to bring my bag,” you say.

He blinks. “Why would that be a problem?”

“That’s where all of my coins would be. After the trial, my bag got heavier and when I checked, there were a lot of coins inside.”

“Don’t remember you checking that,” he mumbles.

“No, I checked it only briefly and you would’ve had other things to worry about.” You sigh, “Would it be alright if I just went back to my room and fetched it?”

He hesitates as if it’s really his decision to make. It’s a bit insulting. He taps his fingers on his face. He finally takes a deep breath.

“I wasn’t sure if it was important but... there seems to be a function in the Monopads that allows you to spend coins without having them physically with you. I assumed it was like handling a virtual bank account but when I tested it at the school store, my real coins disappeared.”

That... is kind of weird. 

“Surely that wouldn’t work with something like a slot machine, right?” you say.

Rantaro takes out his Monopad and rests it against the coin slit. Something clatters inside of the machine. The screens start up and the pictures spin to show the game has started.

“What the...?” you say, barely above a whisper.

“I must say, I do not understand it myself but on the other hand, it does make it far easier to transfer money on a whim.” He shrugs as if this is something that can be explained.

_ He really must be the most chill guy on Earth. _

You take out you Monopad. 

You... don’t have any pockets. You have no way to carry your Monopad around. You left it in your bag.

_ So then why is it suddenly in my hand? Why is everything so weird?! _

Rantaro, seeing your stress, gently rests a hand on your shoulder. He subtly tilts his head and smiles. “This place is weird and different, I know how stressful that can be. We may not be able to change it any time soon but for now, let’s enjoy this evening. It was your idea, wasn’t it?”

Something about his chill demeanor and calming voice makes your shoulders fall. You nod. He sits back on his stool and pulls the lever. He watches the pictures spin and then stop. He groans. Not a winner.

You give it a shot. And then another. And another. You play a couple more. Lots of slots later, Rantaro says he’s going to grab something to drink. He tells you not to get too addicted and suggests taking a break soon. You shrug him off.

You sit there for a while, cranking the lever and watching it spin. You get some back but not as much as you’ve lost. You think you heard Kaito come down at some point because he’s shouting at another slot machine about how stupid of a concept an Ultimate Lucky Student is. You scoot off of your seat to investigate.

“Dude, Kaito, cut your losses now and just give up.”

“No! Luck is bullshit and superstitious nonsense! Plus, a real man never backs up from a challenge!”

“Haha! You really think that? Then explain how you’re nearly on your last coin and I’ve had nothing but pure wins? How do you explain that, mighty hero?”

“Shut up! I’m not done yet!”

You walk over to the commotion to see a crowd has formed around Kaito and Tsumugi. She taps her Monopad on the machine and cranks the lever. Kaito does the same. In unison, both machines stop to reveal their scores.

“You gotta be kidding me,” Kaito says.

“All sevens! Another win for the Ultimate Lucky Student,” Tsumugi giggles, “had enough yet?”

“No!”

The crowd collectively groans.

“How long has this been going on for?” you ask.

“It feels like hours at this point,” Kirumi complains.

“There’s no need to exaggerate, it’s only been fifteen minutes,” Tenko corrects.

“Yeah, whatever. Honestly, I’m waiting for Kaito to lose it all so I can get on with my show.”

Shuichi plays with his fingers, “I-I’m hoping th-this goes on f-for another hour o-or two.”

“I thought you liked Kirumi’s music,” you say.

“I do,” he gulps, “I-I’m performing too.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

You pump your fists. “That’s exciting! Are you playing piano?”

“N-no, I’m not. It’s too big and...” he stares off into space.

“And...?”

“D-doesn’t matter. I’m p-playing violin i-instead.”

Judging from Kirumi’s intensity, you’re a little scared about what a violin would add.

You watch Kaito lose all of his monocoins as Tsumugi laughs maniacally from her machine. She looks at her Monopad and grins. She says something about a special prize and races up the stairs, leaving Kaito slumped in his seat and boring his eyes into the carpet. Kirumi chastises him for continuing when he was clearly losing and how much of an idiot he is. Ryoma rolls his eyes. You watch him climb onto a stool, tap his Monopad and crank the lever. He wins a payout. He wins another payout. And then another.

“Whoa,” you say.

“I wouldn’t exactly call this impressive or something to brag about,” he shrugs, pulling the lever again. Yet another payout.

“Do you think this could have something to do with your talent?” you fold your arms and watch him tap the Monopad to the machine. “Maybe you’re lucky or just really good at slot machines. You could be the Ultimate Slot Machine Player.”

He snorts, “Yeah, fat chance. I never played this sort of thing at home and I wouldn’t exactly call myself lucky either. Especially considering the real Ultimate Lucky Student. This one could be rigged.”

You give him a doubtful look. He sighs, rolls his eyes and lowers himself off of the stool. He climbs onto the one next to it, taps his Monopad on the machine and cranks the lever.

“...Well then.”

“I dunno, you’re looking pretty lucky right now,” you say with a smirk.

“Whatever,” he spins around in his seat. 

You both watch a broken Kaito staring down at his Monopad, realising he has no coins left to gamble away. Kirumi sips from her cup and calls him stupid. You notice Shuichi trying to slip away from the crowd. He doesn’t do it successfully given how eccentric he looks. It’s surprising that no-one has tripped on the veil dragging along the floor. 

Angie catches him and starts waving their arms around excitedly. You can’t quite catch what they’re saying but you can probably guess that it has something to do with their God. 

Kirumi starts choking on her drink. She points at Angie. “Hey, it’s bad enough that Kaito’s lost his cash, don’t go wasting Shuichi’s too!”

“Aww! But it would be for such a worthy cause. I need the money to afford something that would save everyone!” Angie pouts, innocently holding their hands behind their back.

“I-it’s okay Kirumi, I-I wasn’t g-going to take th-them up on it anyway,” Shuichi reassures.

Angie looks him up and down. They narrow their eyes. “Hm, God will remember that,” they say. It sounds like a threat. 

They skip away and go bother Gonta instead.

Once Kaito has finally calmed down from losing his coins, Kirumi and Shuichi set themselves up on the stairs. Kirumi is about to put down the amp when Tsumugi comes crashing down the stairs, shattering her glasses and tearing her suit jacket. What’s worse, her hair appears to have fallen off. What’s left is a buzz cut that’s highlighter yellow for some reason. No-one comments on it. She sits up from the ground with a massive grin, despite her circumstances.

“Whoops, my wig came off! That’s embarrassing! Oh well, that’s what I get for all of those wins,” she says. 

She picks herself up and slips the wig back on. She picks up as many pieces of her glasses as she can and stuffs them into her pocket. You notice some blood on her cheek that seems to be pouring down and dripping on the carpet.

“Tsumugi, you’re bleeding,” you say.

“Am I?” she touches her face, wetting her fingers. She looks at the blood. “Huh, go figure.”

Kiyo sighs, “I will retrieve a bandaid.”

“Oh my! How kind of you,” Tsumugi smiles.

Kirumi sets up a crash cymbal next to Shuichi, plugs in her bass guitar and tests the sound. Shuichi plucks at the violin strings to warm up. Kiyo returns with a bandaid and helps Tsumugi with cleaning up the blood and any glass pieces she may have missed. She comments on how nice they are and alludes to their talent. Kiyo, for how nice they are, tells Tsumugi to shut up.

Tenko stands beside you and complains before the show has even started. She goes on about how she cannot possibly imagine a loud brat like Kirumi would work with the elegance of a violin. It gets irritating really fast.

Kirumi clears her throat. “What’s up students of the Ultimate Academy! We’re about to start so let’s make some noise for my amazing co-star, Shuichi Saihara!”

Kaito claps the loudest, second being Gonta who’s big hands look like they could shake the casino but restrains himself. Shuichi bows but looks like he isn’t particularly thrilled about playing in front of a crowd. You can’t blame him, you are a part of a very judgemental class.

“Our first song is an original instrumental piece that we wrote together called ‘_Miss Your Light’ _so sit back, relax and enjoy.”

Tenko scoffs. 

Kirumi plays first, the low sound of her bass resonating through the carpet. The notes are slow and controlled, not at all what you expected from someone so loud. You can see Shuichi counting himself in as he rests his chin on the violin. He raises the bow and gently places it on the strings. He plays a soothing melody, high-pitched and drawn out. If Kirumi is playing what shakes the ground, Shuichi is playing what lifts you from it. You wouldn’t call it Ultimate by whatever standard the school uses to pick its students but it’s moving. Kirumi slides her hand up the neck of the bass and plays with her hips rocking to the beat she’s creating. The tone of Shuichi’s playing has shifted into something more mellow and distant. Sharp notes to contrast the fairly light ones he played earlier.

His face shifts in discomfort. You wonder if he’s played a note wrong.

Kirumi slows the bass until it stops, leaving Shuichi to close out the song. There’s a large round of applause from the crowd.

Kirumi stomps on what you assume is a bass pedal. “Thank you, thank you. Our next song is what we’d call a banger so clear some space for the dance floor as we play our next song, ‘_Dorm_ _Escape_’!”

“I-I thought we w-weren’t going to d-do this one,” Shuichi says, not quietly enough.

“Dude, you’ve got this! You’re like, almost a master! Plus, I’ll cover for you if you screw it up,” Kirumi strums the bass and something more crunchy rings through the room. “Are we ready to rock?!”

“No,” Tenko grumbles, folding her arms.

Kirumi ignores her. “Okay! One, two, three, four!”

Shuichi quickly plays short notes in a catchy melody. Kirumi taps her foot to the floor and starts swaying. She joins in and plays something that looks pretty complicated. The two start to bounce around on the steps as they get into the song. Tsumugi is already shuffling around to the beat. For all his lack of confidence, Shuichi looks like he’s having a pretty good time playing the same notes over and over again. It’s not tiring though, he shifts keys a few times and drags a few notes out longer to keep the interest.

Shuichi stops and Kirumi goes into her solo, kicking around and just going absolutely nuts. Shuichi takes out a drumstick and hits the crash cymbal to transition Kirumi into the _ extra _ complicated solo. Her fingers look like they could catch fire. Shuichi hits the cymbal again, drops the drumstick and quickly resumes his quick melody. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Gonta and Angie dancing. Something about Kirumi’s playing gets you to sway your hips too. 

Shuichi crashes the cymbal and Kirumi strums one last time. Once she puts her hand on the strings to quiet them, the crowd starts cheering. She wipes the sweat off of her face and grins. She shoots a look to Tenko in that _ You can’t tell me that wasn’t awesome _ way. Tenko herself is speechless.

“Alright, that concludes our set. Enjoy the rest of the night!” As soon as Kirumi announces their leave, she rushes to the table of drinks and pours herself several cups of whatever is left (except for the ginger beer.) The crowd disperses, save for Kaito and Kibou who gush over Shuichi. 

For the most part, the evening returns to small bursts of competitive gambling, nice conversations and the occasional showing off of talents. Tenko dances, Himiko shows off her latest pieces, Kiyo describes where they got their tattoos and what they mean. It looks like everyone is getting along nicely.

Which worries you when you see Ryoma standing in the corner taking small sips of ginger beer. He stares off into space with that sad look in his eyes. You and Kiyo made this happen for Ryoma and it hurts to see he’s not enjoying himself.

“Are you still thinking about her?” you ask.

“Who? Miu?” he leans against the wall, “I’m trying not to but... the things she said. I can’t help it.”

“She was harsh, I’m sorry she said those things to you.”

You stand in silence. The hub-bub of the casino drowns out the need for a moving conversation. You look from the outside, probably what Ryoma is used to. It’s sad to think about.

Ryoma takes another sip. “What I’m scared of is if she’s right. What if I am just a normal guy who shouldn’t even be here? What if I’m undeserving of attending the Ultimate Academy?”

You stop yourself from giving the same basic speech about how he’ll find his talent eventually if he tries hard enough. Clearly, that doesn’t seem to be helping. You call upon your weird dream of Kokichi and Miu from after the trial. 

_ If one plan doesn’t work, make another one. _

You take a deep breath. “So what if she’s right?”

“...What?”

“Let’s say you don’t have a talent, so what? There’s nothing wrong with being talentless.”

Ryoma stares off into the casino. You wonder if he’s actually considering your words.

“In this place, you are the most unique out of all of us. Not a single person who is still here has singled you out because of your lack of talent. What Miu did was cruel and I understand how she’s stuck with you but do you seriously trust the closeted psychopath over the class that accepted you as one of their own?”

“She was smarter than she looked, there is a chance that she was right.”

“She was trying to rile you up. She could have been lying. If she was, wouldn’t that mean she was scared of you?”

He laughs, “Scared of _ me _? How could she be scared of someone uncool like me?”

“You see the world from a different lens. Some people are intimidated by other perspectives so they try to bring them down in an attempt to erase them. You have more to you than your talent, some of us don’t have anything else.”

He leans his head on the wall, staring off to the side. He brings the cup to his lips but there’s no drink left. 

“I think you should see how included you really are to the group.” You find a round table with a pack of cards, some dice and poker chips. Kiyo must have set them up in case anyone wanted to play tabletop games. 

You encourage Ryoma to sit next to you. He does, and he takes out a candy cigarette. You take out the cards and begin to shuffle them.

“Hey, you guys playing something?” Kaito asks.

“We haven’t started yet but you’re welcome to join,” you smile.

“Alright!” he pulls up a seat next to you. “What’ll it be? Poker? Blackjack?”

“Got a preference, Ryoma?” you ask.

“Blackjack is fine,” he says.

You soon have more people joining in. Angie says they want to test how faithful they are to their God, Kirumi goes on about how she used to gamble sweets in her old school, Maki says she’s bored of standing around (the group decided she’s not allowed to play the machines, lest she tamper with them.) You offer Kiyo a seat but they decline, claiming that the thrill comes in watching and not playing. Kibou also declines, mostly because he doesn’t know how to play blackjack. Tsumugi is about to sit down when Kaito demands she “Stay super fucking far away from the table.” Rantaro is the last to join. 

Maki sorts through the chips and hands everyone an equal amount. She bets two chips.

“That’s it?” Kaito scoffs, pushing in at least ten chips.

“Here we go,” Kirumi sighs, dropping two.

You stack two for your bet. Through some mocking stares from Kaito, you stack another two. Once all bets are made, you deal everyone one card facing up and then flip one of yours over so it’s face down. You then hand out a second card to each person and leave your second card face up. You have a ten.

“Left of the dealer plays first,” you say, “Kaito?”

He looks down at his five and three. “Hit me.”

“I'd love to,” Tenko jokes. Kirumi snorts into her hand.

_ Wow, they’re actually getting along! _

You hand Kaito another card. 

“Hm... another five brings me to thirteen...” he strokes his chin. “Hit me.”

You hand him another card. It’s a queen.

“God dammit!”

“That’s a bust,” you smirk and pick up all ten of his chips.

Kirumi stares down at her cards. A king and a seven. She waves her hand over the table.

Rantaro goes next. He’s on twelve. He taps two fingers on the table. You hand him a card. It’s a four, bringing him to sixteen. He thinks long and hard about this next play. Weighing up the odds, he taps his fingers on the table again. He gets a four.

“Shit,” Kirumi whispers.

“Stay,” Rantaro says, leaning back on his seat.

The game goes around, Angie clearly has no idea what they’re doing because they insist they need another card after starting on eighteen. You take all of their chips too. Once the chips have been passed around, the games start to pick up in speed. Kaito keeps losing all of his bets, Maki has to teach Angie how to play and Himiko keeps forgetting to look at her cards. You take glances at Ryoma to check if he’s having fun. Almost every time you look, he’s smiling or laughing. 

Unsurprisingly, Kaito is the first to lose all of his chips. He’s quickly replaced by Shuichi who fumbles his way through most of the game. Strangely, as soon as Shuichi enters the game, people start forgetting how to play and lose their bets. It’s actually kind of annoying that Kirumi exploits this most of the time. Angie picks up on this quickly and suddenly, they’re taking everyone’s chips and going on about how God is on their side. You tell Shuichi that he picked a good day to use his _ gift. _

Some more people come and go. Once Tsumugi comes in, she thrashes everyone immediately. She mysteriously only stops winning when Gonta starts playing. You’d think that her luck wouldn’t let her be picky but she must have better control over it. 

The most important thing is that even when Ryoma steps out of the rounds, he’s still smiling. When he can’t see the table, Gonta picks him up and holds him on his mighty shoulders. While he’s taking breaks, he talks to Maki. When he’s out of ginger beer, Kiyo offers to refill his cup. It won’t cure him but if it helps him block out the Miu in his head, it’s an easy solution.

Tsumugi is the first to leave, claiming she was only dampening the mood. Kiyo walks her out (mainly to keep an eye on her) and after enough time has passed, the rest of the class heads out. You, Kiyo, Kirumi, Gonta, Ryoma and Kibou stay behind to pack everything up. Kirumi moves her bass guitar and violin to her lab and Gonta follows her with the crash cymbal and amp. You help Kiyo clean up all of the cups and napkins while Ryoma and Kibou pick up all of the cards and chips and fold up the tables. You check the time. You finish cleaning up at 3:38 AM. You yawn at this realisation.

“Kaede?”

You look down. Ryoma offers a candy cigar. You shake your head.

“I wanted to thank you, I don’t think I would’ve felt any better standing in the corner the whole night.”

You smile, “You’re welcome. I’m glad you had fun.”

Kiyo, Kirumi and Gonta wave goodnight and head back to the dorms together. Kibou offers to escort you both out. You take him up and walk out together.

As much as you love your classmates, you can only half-ass a goodbye as you return to your dorm rooms. What matters is that Ryoma smiles. He even gives you a thumbs up.

After carefully stripping off the dress and hanging it back up in the wardrobe, you fall onto your bed. You quickly fall asleep.


	14. Of Devils and Mischief and Prayers - Daily Life III

...

_ Log 1. _

_ I’ve infiltrated the killing game. I don’t know how long it’s been at this point, I have no clue if this plan will even work out. _

_ Still, I have to try, right? For everyone. _

_ ... _

_ Um... I have a vague idea of what I’m supposed to be doing. I feel like something’s gotten lost along the way. _

_ Was I supposed to be working by myself? I can remember bits and pieces of before but nothing concrete. It’s giving me a headache. _

_ ... _

_ Ha... I can’t believe I wrote myself this way. I get that it’s the only way seeing as I had... what, a year? Yeah, a year to write it, but it kind of feels depressing.  _

_ I mean, how the hell am I supposed to be this character? We’re nothing alike! I can’t do this as I am now. _

_ Well, I guess that’s what the lights are for. _

_ But the most painful part is going to be seeing *her* again. _

_ And she won’t know what’s coming. _

_ ... _

_ Shit! Someone’s waking up. _

_ I should end this quickly. _

_ Remember what you came here to do. It’ll all make sense in the end. _

_ If I don’t make it out alive after all of this, tell her my final wish. _

_ I want _ —

*BAM*

_ AAAAAAAH! D-don’t hurt me! I swear, I-I’ll do anything! _

...

* * *

...

Ding dong, bing bong.

“Rise and shine, ursine!”

You don’t have the energy to listen to this. The routine is quick, you grab your bag, lock the door and head for the dining hall. 

...

At least, that’s what you plan to do. You stop in front of Kibou’s door. Just as you’re about to ring the intercom, he opens the door. He almost runs into you.   
“Oh, good morning Kaede,” he greets.

“Morning,” you say.

“...Did you need something?”

“Can we walk together? I want to have someone else with me.”

He nods, slightly concerned but willing.

You turn around and head to Ryoma’s door. You ring the intercom. He slowly emerges from his room.

“Morning, Ryoma,” you smile.

“Hey,” he says, “did you...?

“I’d like to walk with you to the dining hall.”

You look at Kibou. He’s slightly confused.

“Is it because you think I don’t eat breakfast?” Ryoma asks.

You shake your head, “No, I just wanted to spend a little more time with you. Maybe we could figure out your hidden talent.”

“...Right,” he mumbles.

“I doubt we would be able to figure out something as complicated as that with a simple conversation,” Kibou starts. You  _ gently _ kick him in the shin. He shuts up. You know he’s tough enough to take it but it gets the point across.

“But it can’t help to try, right? Plus, some sunshine and a good meal gets my creative juices flowing so it might work with you too.”

That’s a lie. You skip breakfast a lot of the time. You get your creativity from, if you’re being completely honest, seeing pretty people on T.V or at the park. Also yearning. In fact, you get a lot of material from spite and jealousy more often than  _ sunshine and a good meal _ .

“...Okay, give me a moment,” Ryoma says and steps back into his room.

You can’t believe that worked.

Once Ryoma comes out and locks his door, the three of you head down to the dining hall. You try to initiate conversation and pick up on both of their cues. Kibou is a bit more blunt so you have to try hard to keep it up. Ryoma doesn’t participate for most of it but he doesn’t look like he’s holding back. It’s probably an introversion thing. You try to involve him a little but not enough to be overbearing. You hope.

Only a couple of other people are in the dining hall. Kiyo and Angie are to be expected, as well as Kaito and Tenko. Rantaro is sipping tea with a distant gaze. Himiko appears to be on her third cup of coffee as evident from her two empty mugs (why she doesn’t reuse one mug confuses you) and Gonta is trying not to trip on any chairs as he makes his way to the kitchen. Angie appears to be talking to Kiyo and Himiko about their observation chart. No-one notices the three of you walking in.

You can probably guess where everyone else is. Shuichi and Kirumi are probably playing upstairs, Maki is almost certainly in her lab, and Tsumugi is... Tsumugi.

You pull up a chair for Ryoma. You eavesdrop on Angie’s conversation.

“So you see, when people leave by themselves in the night, it deducts a point. It’s unsafe and against human behaviour so God treats it as an anomaly. God’s plan is to not only unite everyone together for eternal salvation but to also one day walk among us in His handsome form.”

Himiko yawns, “Does that mean He hates it when I paint in the middle of the night?”

“Absolutely! By letting yourself succumb to fatigue and isolation during a dangerous time, you are actively putting yourself in danger,” Angie says.

“Does your God support us trying to leave? Does He have a plan or are we left to our own devices?” Kiyo asks.

“The outside world has wormed its way into our poor, misguided hearts. The sins we faced outside of the dome have filled us with greed and desire. To ease our souls, we must confide in our God.” Angie rolls up their chart, “As a prophet of God, I announce the divine solution is to erase the sin of ambition and greed.”

“Being ambitious is a sin?” Kiyo asks, raising a brow.

“Any more ambition will only cause disappointment. Humans are not designed for lots of disappointment and too much will crack our souls.”

Tenko leans in, “This is complete nonsense. Are you saying we should just live here all content?”

Angie shakes their head, “No no, I did not say that! I said to erase ambition and greed. We have food and shelter and love, don’t we? Plus a pool and a gym, right? We have everything we need! Given the time and commitment, we could use this place to begin the welcoming ceremony God has been waiting for!”

“Is that not ambitious?” Tenko asks.

“It’s not ambitious because it’s realistic!”

You look over at Ryoma. He stares on with just as much confusion as you. _ Cracked souls? Ambition is bad? What? _

“I have been watching as God’s prophet for the past few days and we are all so unhappy. It takes forty-three muscles to frown which is stressful and makes us all feel bad so we should start smiling as a beginning to our routines!”

“But if Gonta flex more muscles, more muscles get strong!”

Angie wags their finger and grins. “But you see, God is  _ stronger _ than Gonta! God is strongest when he is happy and when you are happy, you smile. So to become more godly and for God to be closer to us all, we should smile! It only takes seventeen muscles, after all.”

“That’s not actually true,” Kibou says.

Angie ignores him. “No going outside after dark and smiling every day. How does that sound?”

“Not sure if I can commit to either of those,” Himiko says.

Angie takes Himiko’s hands. “Do not worry, I will be here to encourage you the whole way! God is always on our side, no matter what.”

“Gonta will try his best! Gonta smile and stay in for God!”

The doors swing open. Bare feet walk along the floor, some dirt smears the polished surface. The room stills.

“Ahh, good morning,” Tsumugi says, taking a deep breath.

No-one says anything back. She walks into the kitchen and pours herself a cup of tea, not bothered by the staring. She sits at the other end of the table and sips from her mug.

Angie clears their throat, “Anyway, keep our routine in mind and we will be cheerful again in no time!”

“R-right,” Himiko stutters.

Tsumugi won’t stop looking at you. She smiles behind her mug and leans her elbows on the table. She’s begging to answer a question.

You have to ask. “Tsumugi, what have you been doing with our videos?”

Again, the air has turned stiff.

“Oh? You really want to know?” she says, a smile creeping on her face.

“Yeah, that’s why she asked!” Kaito shouts.

“Well, I should tell you that my collection has only grown. I’ve gone from three videos to... hm, how many was it?” she sets down the mug and grins, “Around... ten videos total.”

“T-ten?!” you repeat.

“It’s not like anyone was using them. Why don’t you make it easier and just give them to me? Saves me from having to bust out my bobby pins every single time.”

“You’ve been... breaking into our rooms,” Kibou says.

“What the hell do you need them for?!” Kaito demands.

“I need my character dynamics! It’s so interesting to see what would motivate someone to kill. Maybe I could strike up some sort of deal with them, if I thought it was worthy enough.”

You clench your jaw, “Tsumugi, don’t you remember what we said?”

“ _ Don’t do anything weird. _ Yeah, I remember,” she taps her fingernails along the table, “which is why I’m offering to become the next victim.”

“What?” several people ask.

She airily sighs, “Such despair being cooped up here in our little prison school. What someone would do to escape. Would that bring hope? Could hope to escape even exist? Are we trapped in a rigged game? Who knows? I don’t, but I would love to find out.”

“Then I will turn this school into a paradise.”

Angie’s comment shouldn’t have caught you off guard and yet, it did.

“Hm?” Tsumugi hums.

“All I hear is an unhappy and greedy girl who can never have enough. Hope and despair? That does not fit within a human heart.” They smile, “What we need is routine. Smiles and sleep is a good place to start. A well rested and happy human is a godly human. And God will become closer to humanity in turn. Hope and despair have no place in our lives together.”

“I’m not sure which one sounds more crazy,” Ryoma whispers.

“Both of you shut up! You’re not making any sense,” Kaito shouts.

“Oh? The hero is speaking up?” Tsumugi says.

“There is no hero in this school, only a plan,” Angie says.

“I said, shut up!”

“Tsumugi, what are you planning to do with the videos?” you ask.

She tilts her head, “If all you want is a simple explanation, I’m sure I can give you one.”

“Please,” you sigh.

“Alright, alright. Once I collect everyone’s motive videos, I’m going to destroy them.”

“Oh, no you won’t!” 

“Uuuuugh,” Himiko groans.

Monokuma appears on the table, “Destroying any school property, including the motives, is strictly against the rules!”

“Aww, that sucks,” Tsumugi says with no sincerity in her voice.

“You may steal, blackmail and threaten with your videos but no destruction. These things are expensive, ya know! If I catch anyone breaking them, I’ll crush you with an Exisal.”

“Isn’t that threat empty given what happened to Kaito?” Rantaro asks.

Monokuma glares at him. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about that. That was a warning, next time will be the real deal.”

Monokuma disappears.

Tsumugi dramatically sighs, “Well, there goes that plan. What will I do with all the videos now? Should I watch them? Should I give them back to the people they belong to?”

No-one has an answer. One wrong move could cause another killing. After a few minutes of uneasy silence, you speak up.

“Keep them.”

“What?” everyone says.

“Stick to the plan, right? Don’t watch the motive videos. If Tsumugi has all of them, no-one will watch them.”

“But what if she watches all of them and decides to kill someone?” Kibou asks.

You think about it for a second. You gaze at Tsumugi. She stares in anticipation.

“She won’t.”

“What makes you so sure?” Rantaro asks.

_ What would a leader say in place of “It’s just my gut”? _

“Because... she said she’ll only become the next victim. She has no intention to directly kill anyone.”

She gives you a smirk. You’re right, you know you are. 

If someone is considering that she could be lying, they don’t say it. That look flashes across several people’s faces but no-one speaks up. You distract the group by asking Kiyo to prepare breakfast. You, along with everyone else, sit at the other end of the table from Tsumugi. After eating, you decide to head back to your room.

_ Free Time START! _

Angie digs around the shelves in the warehouse, throwing around random tools and knicknacks with little care. Wrenches, remotes, stationary, CDs, duct tape, cables. They look back at the cable they just tossed. Upon consideration, they kick it and a few others they’d thrown into a messy pile away from all of the other junk. Back to the shelves, they gasp when they find a backpack. It’s white with pink highlights and fairly small. They swing it on. Angie stands on their toes and takes out a large cardboard box. They rifle through it for a moment. They pluck out a camera and investigate the sides.

“Hm... this can be connected. All I need is the right cable.”

They carefully slip it into their backpack and continue digging through the box. Some cables are tangled together, they set the box down and fiddle around to seperate them.

The door creaks open. They stop. Someone in dull boots approaches.

“Pardon me, am I interrupting something important?”

Angie turns their head and smiles. “No no no, not at all! You are welcomed inside, Kiyo.”

Kiyo crouches beside Angie and looks over the pile of cables on the floor. Kiyo does not ask about the pile or the box or the bag. Thirty seconds of silence turns into two minutes turns into five, eight, ten. To an untrained eye, one may call the pair incredibly strange when in fact, the conversation carries itself without sound or voice. The conversation is carried through observation, questions are asked through pointing and answered through hand gestures. Most of Kiyo’s questions are answered with Angie clapping their hands together and pointing upwards, which earns a nod from the former. Angie untangles the cables and sticks one into the camera they collected earlier. They then look around for something else. Through no communication, Kiyo reaches up and pulls out a roll of duct tape. Angie smiles and slips everything into the bag. All the physical items have been collected so if this were Maki’s scheme, that would be all that was needed. However, Angie is not Maki. Maki would pick apart and reconstruct the camera so it worked in a certain fashion, perhaps adding a few more bonus functions with new hardware. All Angie needs is a few more cables and a very good computer. Only some of this was communicated to Kiyo, the rest was a basic outline of a plan. Pointing up, pointing two fingers to their own eyes, pointing to the camera, pointing to the corners of the warehouse. Kiyo spins their finger in a circle. Angie nods. Kiyo blinks rapidly, impressed.

Angie doesn’t need to ask what Kiyo wants because they already know; observation. They had discussed it (using words) before anyone else had arrived at the dining hall that morning. That conversation was probably more interesting than the one they have found themselves in currently but no-one had any proof of it happening except the two weirdos so who’s to say they had one at all? 

This one, however, has an interruption. An obnoxiously loud one.

“Oh, sorry!” Kaito apologises, the door slamming behind him. “Are you like...?”

Kiyo sighs, “We do not mind your presence. What brings you here?”

“I um... I’ve forgotten. Y’know, you walk into a room and forget why you’re there? That just happened. Yeah, anyway, I’ll just...” Kaito turns to leave.

Angie stands up. “You are a bad liar. Your heart aches, that is what brought you here.”

“What?”

“God sees all, He sees the happy and the hurt. If you are hurt, God sees through your lies.”

Kiyo raises a brow as Kaito fumbles over his words and stutters.

“God has watched you come in and out of Kokichi’s room. He knows you don’t read in the library.” Angie glides toward him and gently places a hand to his chest. “Tell me... tell Him the truth. His smile will cleanse your soul.”

Kaito brushes their hand off. “I-I dunno what you’re talking about but I don’t trust your God thing.”

Angie looks down and shakes their head, “This will not do. Grief has struck you hard.”

“I’m not grieving! I’m fine! I-I just remembered why I’m here!” Kaito rushed to the shelf behind Kiyo and grabbed the closest box. He shoved most of the contents to the side until he pulled out something. “This! I was looking for this.”

Angie frowns, “A tube of glowsticks?”

Kaito looks again. “That’s what they are?” Then, he corrects himself. “Yes! Glowsticks. Love ‘em. Good stuff. Thought they would spice up the pool area.”

Kiyo and Angie exchange looks. Again, a silent conversation takes place which is awkward for the third party who was not privy. To Kiyo and Angie, they have said enough. To Kaito, they have said nothing at all.

“So... yeah, I’m done here. I’ll go put these around the pool. See ya,” and with that, Kaito races out of the room while muttering, “ _ weirdos, _ ” behind him.

...

There’s still some time left in the day.

_ Wait... something’s off... _

...

“AAH!”

THUD!

_ What was that?! _

You peek through your door. Shuichi has collapsed. He shivers as if he were freezing to death. Gonta stands over him. Gonta picks Shuichi up and carries him fireman style out of the dorms. You... stare in worry. There was something odd about Gonta. There seemed to be something radiating from him, like he was on fire. Pure, raw energy in the form of a human being. It’s terrifying.

_ Ding dong! _

You open the door.

Kirumi grabs your hand. “We have to get out of here.”

Before you can object, she pulls you out of your room. Tenko, Maki, Ryoma and Kibou are also there. You all run out of the dorms. You catch your breath out in the courtyard.

“Where do we go now?” Tenko asks.

“He thinks we’re still in the dorms so anywhere away from here,” Maki says.

“Who are we running from?” you ask.

“Didn’t you see Gonta? Guy’s gone mad, he might have scared Shuichi to death!” Kirumi shouts.

“We don’t know what he wants but he’s kidnapped Kaito too,” Kibou says. “I narrowly avoided him but he charged like a bullet.”

Maki fidgets in place, “If we stand around, he’ll get all of us at once. We need to move.”

“But where?!” Kirumi screams.

_ Where would Gonta not go? He could easily break down a door if he needed to. We can’t barricade ourselves anywhere... _

“How much are you willing to bet he won’t check the bathrooms?” you say.

No-one else has any better ideas.

“We should move in the grass, we’re less likely to get caught that way,” Kibou suggests.

“None of us are wearing camouflage,” Maki says.

“The grass is tall enough to hide us if we crawl,” you say, remembering when Angie and Kokichi ran around on the first day.

“I am  _ not _ doing that,” Tenko grimaces.

The school doors slam open. It’s Gonta. He has bad eyesight but he could probably sense you if you got too close. He charges toward the dorms.

“Get down!” Kirumi shouts.

You dive into the grass. When Tenko doesn’t, Kirumi tackles her. Kirumi covers Tenko’s mouth before she can scream. You can’t see very well but you can feel the air sweeping as Gonta rushes passed the tall grass. Kirumi closes her eyes, listening. After a moment, she opens them again. 

She whispers, “Okay, let’s go,” and starts to crawl on her knees.

You all start to crawl with her. Tenko quietly complains about how her kimono is getting stained. She seems a lot more tense than usual, probably less so than on day one but pretty stressed regardless. You figure she had been interrupted from her training or whatever it is she does to calm down. You can almost see the school. What’s the plan if Gonta turns around and comes back? Would he check Maki’s lab first? Why wasn’t Maki in her lab?

“How did you gather all of us?” you whisper to Kirumi.

“I was walking Shuichi back to his room ‘cause his brain was fucking up and Maki was also there when Kibou came in. He told us to hide but Shuichi was too slow and collapsed. We hid in my room until Gonta left. Ryoma and Tenko came out to see what was going on and I heard you opening your door. Now we’re here.”

“Degenerates interrupting my breathing exercises,” Tenko mumbles.

_ That answers that question. _

You hit the end of the patch. Kibou peeks over the grass. He scans the area and then turns back to the group.

“You hear anything?” he asks.

Kirumi shakes her head.

“Move.”

You all run to the school doors. Kibou opens the door and rushes everyone inside. With Kirumi leading, you make your way to the bathrooms. Maki mutters something about a taser.

“Are we splitting up?” Ryoma asks.

“What? Why?” you ask.

“You know,” he points to the women’s bathroom, “no unwanted visitors.”

“Oh. I... didn’t even think about that,” you admit.

“We can’t just hide in the bathroom forever, we need to come up with a plan,” Kirumi says.

“If I could get to my lab, we could find a way to bring Gonta down,” says Maki.

“I could accompany you,” Kibou offers.

Kirumi knits her brows, “And if you get caught?”

“Kibou has a knife on him, doesn’t he?” Tenko asks.

Kibou looks away with discomfort.

_ He could have a lot more than just a knife if we went upstairs, _ you think to yourself. You decide not to voice this.

Kirumi stares at the doors. “He’s coming.”

Ryoma runs into the boy’s bathroom. Kibou and Maki duck away behind the corner. Kirumi pushes you and Tenko into the girl’s bathroom just as you hear the school doors burst open. 

“Get in a stall!” Kirumi whisper-shouts.

Tenko rolls her eyes. Kirumi pushes her into a bathroom stall while you take one next to them. You gently close the toilet lid and stand on it.

“Quit pulling me around!” Tenko whispers.

“If you weren’t such a priss, I wouldn’t need to!”

“Let go!”

“Stop it!”

The door creaks. The two stop fighting. You hold your breath. Gonta is in the bathroom. Why is he in the women’s bathroom? Does he not care? You didn’t care but Gonta is... Gonta! Did he not read the sign? Given his poor eyesight, that seems to make more sense. Surely context from the red door would help but then again, colours don’t define gender. Your heart beats in your ears.

The stall beside you shudders. Gonta is trying to get the door open. Neither Tenko or Kirumi say a word. You can hear whimpering. Several plans pop into your head, each as stupid as the last. Crawl under the gap between the stalls? No, then all three of you would get caught. Throw something to distract him? Throw what? It wouldn’t work in such a small room. The dumbest plan pops up. You take a deep breath.

You unlock your stall door. You step out of the stall. You face Gonta as he towers over you. He looks down at you. You gulp.

“Go,” you whisper, “get out of here.” You pray Kirumi hears it.

Gonta charges you. He picks you up and then everything goes black. You lose consciousness. Are you dead? Did he kill you? It’s all such a flash. One second, you’re in the bathroom. The next, you’re on the floor of some room. Head spinning, you sit up.

“Heeeey, Kaede! Welcome back to reality!” Tsumugi grins. 

_ Why is she leaning over me? Isn’t this a bit close? _

“What did...? Why am I...?”

“Hm, not the usual questions you get from an amnesia story. I was expecting “Who am I?”” She shrugs, “But it’s a nice surprise. Please keep me more surprised in the future!”

“W _ here _ am I?” you ask.

She beams, “Good question! Classic type, really helps move things along. Anyway, we’re in the gym.”

“...The gym? Why are we...?”

Tsumugi offers you a hand. You don’t take it. You stand up on your own.

“What bad luck to be stuck here. What good could come from this? I wonder...” she trails off.

“Why did you have to lean over her like that?” Himiko asks.

“I wanted to make sure she was okay,” Tsumugi replies.

“Given that she was the only one that got knocked out, that is a fair enough concern,” Kiyo adds.

Standing in the middle of the gym, you blink away the bright lights. You can see... Tsumugi, Himiko, Shuichi, Kaito and Kiyo. Gonta is still out there, most likely hunting down everyone else. You hope Tenko and Kirumi got away. Shuichi whimpers by the bleachers.

Kaito groans, “Why are we waiting around in here?! What do you want with us?”

“Who are you talking to?” Kiyo asks.

“Tsumugi, of course! If anyone was involved, it would be her!”

She tilts her head, “You think  _ I _ ordered Gonta to kidnap everyone? Me? The one no-one trusts?”

“You’re not exactly helping yourself out by saying that,” Himiko says.

“Gonta wouldn’t listen to someone like me. He may be the big musclehead with a heart of gold but even he knows not to trust trash like me. Unless you really think that little of him. Plus, if I wanted him to do anything for me, I would only kidnap the people inside the dorms so I could steal their videos. He kidnapped me so I can’t even break in to anyone’s room.”

Kaito narrows his eyes, “You’re lying.”

“I don’t think she is,” you say.

“You’re defending her?” Kaito points to Tsumugi, “She isn’t exactly above things like manipulation, you know!”

“I’m not defending her! She just makes a good point, Gonta wouldn’t listen to someone like her. I don’t know who’s ordering Gonta around, if anyone is at all, but it’s not Tsumugi!”

The gym doors burst open. Gonta comes in carrying Rantaro in one arm and Ryoma in the other. Both look unamused. Gonta gently drops them near the rest of the group.

“Well, this isn’t how I imagined my day going,” Rantaro sighs.

“Same here,” Ryoma says.

Gonta turns to leave.

“Wait!” you call, “Why did you bring us here?”

“Oh! Gonta heard everyone not happy. Gonta want to keep up smiles with new training routine!”

Hmm... smiles sounds familiar. Could it be Angie?

_ Well, yeah. They talked about it this morning. And they like to watch people so they could easily manipulate someone like Gonta.  _

...

You... really are sure about this all of a sudden.

“Did Angie tell you that everyone was unhappy?” you ask.

Gonta blinks, “Yes. How did you know?”

“Gut feeling.”

“Where’s Angie?” Kaito asks.

“Ring ring! Did someone call?”

Angie steps out from behind the stage curtain. They untangle some chords and slip a headset on. They lower the mic from the headset and tap into it. Speakers from somewhere thud with their taps.

“Testing, testing! One, two, three!” They slump, “Gonta, I thought you had brought everyone.”

“Sorry! Tried to find Tenko and Kirumi but couldn’t and Maki was too scary.” 

“Too scary?” Angie tilts their head.

“Pointed something at me that zapped and said mean things,” Gonta says.

You nod, “That would be the taser.”

“Oh well, a few bad eggs can’t stop us from having a good time. Let us begin the Five Happiness Training Programmes!” Angie cheers.

“That’s the name you went with?” Himiko says.

Angie waves her off, “It’s a working title. I’m free for suggestions. Now, we’re going to start with a little prayer for good health and form.” They clear their throat and bring their hands together. “May our faces grow sore from smiles and cheers. Blessed be to prophet Angie for their fruits of labour.”

_ Not that this can get any more creepy _ .

“Also, escape is futile. While Gonta leads the training, God and I will be watching you all. Very closely.”

_ Nevermind. _

Gonta hops up onto the stage and Angie hands him another headset. They skip backstage.

“Um... hello? Can everyone hear Gonta?” Gonta says.

“Loud and clear!” Angie says, still speaking into their mic.   


“Does being an Ultimate Programmer just refer to being good with technology?” Tsumugi quietly asks. You don’t give her an answer.

A screen descends behind Gonta. A projector starts playing a video.

“Remember; certain keywords activated by your voice will change the slides so we’ll never get lost,” Angie explains.

“Got it!” Gonta says, giving a thumbs up.

“How remarkable,” Kiyo murmurs in awe.

Gonta starts off the training with everyone doing jabs to the air. You would think Kaito would be enjoying this given his talent and overall energy but he’s complaining louder than everyone else. At least Himiko keeps her mouth shut for most of the training. Gonta isn’t soft on anyone. He walks around and makes sure everyone is working hard. You struggle to keep yourself stable through the kicking. Gonta gives you a mini lesson on how to kick properly just to make sure you can catch up with everyone else.

Shuichi keeps muttering something about “Wrong floor,” and, “He should be here.” You find yourself shuffling to him in the intermissions to check up on him. 

He waves off your concerns. “I-I’m fine, I’m fine,” he says. 

This whole training thing makes you worry about what Angie really wants. Surely, they didn’t seriously get Gonta to kidnap and bring everyone here just for some training. What else are they planning? If Tsumugi has all of the videos, does Angie just want to distract everyone and steal them? Are you caught in the battle between Tsumugi and Angie? Is this even about the motive?

“Okay, break time!” Gonta announces, not even breaking a sweat. He puts down his headset and begins to stretch.

Several people collapse. You are one of them.

“We’re back on in only a couple of minutes so use your break time wisely!” Angie calls from behind the curtains.

“Does... does someone have a plan?” Kaito asks but it sounds more like begging.

You’re too drenched in sweat to think of anything concrete.

“C-could we... distract A-Angie?” Shuichi suggests.

_ Distracting? Distracting is good. _

“And what about Gonta?” Ryoma points out.

“He should be easy enough,” Rantaro says.

Tsumugi taps on her chin, “We can’t just say anything to Angie though. They probably expect us to try to distract them. We need it to be authentic.”

Something clicks in your brain. “Get Kiyo to ask about their God.”

“I fear I may need backup,” Kiyo says.

“Himiko.”

“Nyeh?”

“Go with Kiyo. Nod along, ask questions, anything to keep the conversation going. Don’t attract any attention to us,” you order.

She stares off into space for a moment. “Yeah, I can do that.”

“Kaito, you go talk to Gonta,” you watch him run off to do exactly that. You turn to the remaining members. “Rantaro, Shuichi, this is a weird request but I’ll need you to stand around and look pretty.”

“And why do I need to do that?” Rantaro asks, slightly offended.

You stand closer to Ryoma. “We’re short, we can slip out of the crowd a lot easier than you two. Keep it light, talk about something. You know each other’s families, right?”

“Wh-where will you go?” Shuichi asks.

“We’ll find Maki and Kibou. Maki said she could find something to take down Gonta, we just need to tell her where everyone is to shut this down.”

Rantaro shrugs. Shuichi scratches his neck,

“What about me?” Tsumugi asks.

_ What about her? Um... _

You bite your lip. “You can... look around backstage! I’m sure there's something secret Angie is doing so you can be our spy!”

She narrows her eyes. “That sounds really boring.”

“U-um...”

“You’re lucky I’m into being boring,” she adds.

With everyone in place, you and Ryoma wait by the gym doors. Shuichi and Rantaro talk about something while Shuichi refuses to make eye contact. Kaito makes some conversation about training, you think. Kiyo and Himiko nod along to Angie talking about their God. Once you’re sure everyone is distracting or distracted, you tip-toe to the doors and push it open, careful not to make a sound. Ryoma slips through the gap before you. You spare one more glance inside. Kaito keeps talking but meets your gaze. He smiles and then winks. You quietly walk out of the gym.

Breaking into a sprint, you and Ryoma waste no time getting to Maki’s lab. You knock on the door. It opens. A taser is shoved in your face.

“Ah, wait! I-it’s just us!” you shout and step back.

Maki lowers the taser. “Sorry.”

“Who is it?” Kirumi asks from inside.

“Kaede and Ryoma,” Maki calls back.

“Is everyone else here?” Ryoma asks.

“Yup.”

You try to look over Maki’s shoulder but she glares at you. “Can we come in?”

“Did you get taken in by Gonta?” she asks.

“Yes, but—”

“Where are they?”

“They’ll notice we’re gone soon, can we come in?”

Kibou steps from behind Maki. “It’s okay, let them in.”

She looks back into her lab. She stares at you and Ryoma. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone else about what is in this lab.”

In unison, you and Ryoma say, “Promise.”

She leads you inside.

It’s a large room with lots of stuff cramping it in. It’s almost as bad as Kibou’s lab. Weapons hung from every wall along with workshed tools and saws. The workbench is covered in scrap metal and vials and conductive rods. There’s a furnace at one end of the room. Tenko tries to compose herself but looks nervously at the buzzsaws hanging from above. Kirumi plays with something from the far table.

“So when you said most of your stuff is classified...” you begin.

“I make weapons for the government. That is my field of expertise,” Maki says.

“How did you get from liquid contacts to guns?” you ask.

“Liquid contacts are for a good public image. Guns are far easier to make and mass produce,” she picks up a large bazooka-sized weapon from the middle bench. It’s connected to a lot of wires in powerpoints scattered around the lab. “Also, these aren’t just guns. They shoot more than just bullets and rockets.”

She stands crouched and aims the bazooka at a target near the door. You all stand behind her. She flicks her goggles on and charges the bazooka. It starts to generate a lot of electricity and sparks fly at the firing end. She pulls the trigger. Some sparks fly around the room. Most of the electricity hits the target but it doesn’t disintegrate like you think it would. Instead, it forms an electronic cage. It only lasts a few seconds before it falls to the ground. You can smell smoke. Maki puts down the bazooka and grabs the fire extinguisher.

“It’s not finished but the idea is to trap someone for a long period of time,” she explains while putting out the fires.

“Holy fuck! That’s awesome!” Kirumi shouts.

Tenko is rendered speechless.

“Could we use something like that to take down the Exisals?” Kibou asks.

Maki shrugs, “I was going to use it on Tsumugi but that works too.”

“Oh, everyone is in the gym! Should we bring one of these to shut down Angie’s plan?” you say.

“What’s Angie’s plan?” Kirumi asks.

You and Ryoma quickly explain the circumstances. While you’re sure everyone is paying attention, Maki asks a lot of questions about Angie’s ability to hook up key words to specific prompts. You can’t give her any concrete answers which annoys her. Kirumi briefly considers using this technology to create better concerts. Ryoma has to urge everyone to stay on topic. 

Plans to take down Gonta are brought up but most of them involve way too much violence. You have to lay out some ground rules; No physical harm should come from the plan, no guns that require two hands to operate and additionally, no unfinished or untested guns can be used, no blades unless used to threaten (Maki fights hard to get that second part in), toxic gases are out of the question, fire and explosives should only be used to turn on sprinklers and should otherwise remain unused, strangulation is not a plan, and no blood should be spilled.

This... really limits your options. At least, that’s what everyone else thinks.

“Okay, we take the net grenade and the smoke grenade with us to the gym and throw the smoke one first to distract Gonta and Angie. Angie comes down from the stage to see what’s going on and then we throw the net grenade to trap them both,” you say.

“What if Angie doesn’t come down?” Ryoma asks.

“The smoke grenade would already be enough to confuse, I upgraded it to have... other functions,” Maki says.

“What _other_ _functions_?” you ask with concern.

“Does it make sparks? Can the smoke catch fire?” Kirumi pumps her fists in excitement. “Does it make disco lights? Can it play music? Is there a popcorn machine?”

Maki rolls her eyes, “No, don’t be stupid. Not only is it impossible to fit anything else in there because of its size but that’s also really impractical.”

“Killjoy,” Kirumi huffs.

“What else does the grenade do?” Kibou asks.

“It has a longer time for releasing smoke than most smoke grenades and it also propels around the room. It’s also infrared proof.”

Kibou tilts his head, “I don’t see the benefits of it blasting around on a battlefield.”

“We’re not on a battlefield. I make what I want using weapons as my templates.” Maki takes the canisters from the back bench and shoves them into her pockets. She takes a gas mask off the wall and ties it around her head. You can barely see her eyes through the thick glass. It’s kind of scary. Kind of sexy.

_ What is wrong with me? _

“I thought you said it wasn’t toxic,” Ryoma says.

Maki’s voice is muffled. “I did. Doesn’t stop it from being smoke.”

She tosses some masks and bits of cloth to everyone else. Tenko doesn’t say anything but she does frown at a towel with oil on it. She catches Kirumi’s mask in mid-air and shoves the dirty towel into Kirumi’s hands. Kibou also ends up with a gas mask.

“Hey, not fair! Why do we get tea towels and shit and you guys get masks?” Kirumi complains.

Maki rolls up her sleeves. “Kibou and I are the fastest and the volume of the gas will also disorient everyone else inside. We’ll rush in, grab everyone, and come back out.”

“Sounds good,” you say.

Kirumi folds her arms and grumbles, “I’m fast. I could be fast.”

“Not in those boots,” Tenko mutters.

Kirumi shoots her a look.

Everyone follows Maki out of the lab and to the school. It’s long past the nighttime announcement now. You feel like you should be holding spray cans and a cool track should be playing in the background. Something bassy and with lots of loud electric guitars. A slow-mo shot for good measure. It’s not nearly as exciting as you want it to be.

Once you all make it to the door, you crouch down and let Maki go over the plan again. Kirumi throws the smoke grenade and Kibou will then toss the net grenade at Gonta. From there, Maki and Kibou will lead everyone inside and—

“If Gonta true to self, Gonta think Angie is... not right.”

_ Huh? _

Maki slowly opens the door, letting you get a poor view.

“Gonta not believe in God. Gonta change mind about working together with them.”

Kiyo is shoved out from behind the curtains. Angie stomps to Gonta with fury in their eyes but a smile on their face. It’s a primal rage you’ve never seen them wear. It’s terrifying.   
“Gonta,” they say with an eerily calm voice, “would you like to tell me something?”

“Hm? Tell what?” Gonta asks.

They look to Kaito, “You were telling our dear friend about our... cooperation. Or have you already changed your mind again?”

“Gonta not sure what you mean.”

Angie looks up at him, studying something. After a moment, they let out a loud sigh and clasp their hands together. “Perhaps I was mistaken, God did not choose you to be in His image.”

Gonta panics, “Wh-what? B-but Gonta is strong and big and happy! Gonta work hard to make everyone happy like you said!”

“It is true, you are big and strong,” Angie reaches up to hold Gonta’s face in their hands. They push some hair out of his face, “but what you lack is not how happy you are now, it is how happy you will continue to be. I sense doubt where there should be truth.”

“Where can Gonta find truth?”

“Gonta will find truth with Him,” they pull him into their chest, holding him close. 

The embrace is soft but firm, almost motherly. When you look into Angie’s face, it does not look like their embrace. Their eyes are fixed on a distant wall, the corners of their mouth are trailing too high up for a natural smile.

“Gonta will find truth in me.”

While Angie and Gonta share their  _ moment _ , Tsumugi runs down the stage steps and leads Kiyo and Himiko to the door. Kaito steps away from the conversation and follows them. Shuichi and Rantaro quickly follow suit. You all wait outside the gym doors, speechless.

“We... didn’t even need to pull out the big guns,” Kirumi says.

“We said we couldn’t use them,” Kibou corrects.

“I didn’t mean literally.”

“Oh, hey guys!” Tsumugi waves. She takes off the headset around her neck.

The air stills once again.

She smiles, “While I was snooping around, I found his headset. How lucky. Guess that’s what happens when I get the boring job.”

“You didn’t have to manipulate them like that,” Kirumi scowls.

“But Angie manipulated Gonta, right?” Tsumugi says.

“That doesn’t excuse your actions. You could’ve waited another minute and we would have sorted it out!”

“Why does it matter so much?” Tsumugi asks.

Kirumi grabs her own skirt, “Because I don’t wanna see another dead body and if what happened with Kokichi and Miu has taught me anything, it’s that you manipulating people means I have to go through it again! So fucking quit it already!” She storms out of the school.

After some awkward silence, Tenko makes her way back too. Maki and Kibou take off their gas masks. There’s a lot of disappointment and tension in the air. You can feel the intense glare Kaito is giving Tsumugi, it creeps down your spine. If she’d just waited...

_ But she was trying to help,  _ you think to yourself,  _ she couldn’t have known what we were planning. _

...

You shake your head. Why are you standing up for her? She manipulated several people and forced the killing game to start. Why should she get any sympathy from you? You’re starting to do your head in with all of this.

“I think... we should rest,” you say, breaking the silence.

“It is nighttime,” Rantaro agrees.

“Indeed,” Kiyo nods.

_ Indubitably. _

You walk back to your room, trying hard not to look at Tsumugi. Seeing her makes your brain fuzzy. You forgave her out loud but... does she deserve it? You’re not sure. 

When you make it to your bed, you crash instantly.


	15. Of Devils and Mischief and Prayers - Daily Life IV

...

_Um..._

_Hey, it's me._

_I guess that's not very helpful but I'm honestly not sure what else to say. Something compelled me to come over here and there was a file on this computer that had a recording of myself already on it. Super weird, right?_

_That one said log 1 but I don't remember making it. Does that make this one log 2? _

_Whatever. I don't have time for this._

_I predicted the beast at the end of the clip. As long as I keep reminding myself of events, I can get to where I need to be with everything I need to know. _

_What to say though... err..._

_..._

_Right, I'm gonna end the killing game! Please, don't get too caught up in it, future me. It would be such a waste if all of this work was for nothing._

_If this doesn't work, there will always be next time. More people will come, more of me as well. _

_It's sort of the whole plan, y'know. Aha._

...

_Um. I'm still not sure if I was supposed to be partnered with someone. That would be nice to know in future._

_I get the feeling it'll come back to bite me later. I'm pretty sure one of the thingies had me being awful to them. God, I don't look forward to that at all._

_I never want to be a mastermind. For one, too much responsibility and actually having to be cunning._

_And secondly... I just can't picture myself being evil! It scares me, honestly. All I want is to free everyone._

_..._

_Oh, before I forget! That thing I never said._

_My final--_

*BAM*

_Fuck, too late._

_N-no, please! Stop! S-stay away from me!_

_..._

_..._

* * *

Ding dong, bing bong.

_ Ooohhh everything hurts. _

You drag yourself out of bed and throw on your clothes. You reach for your bag when something catches your eye.

“Is that... a Kubs Pad?”

Indeed, it is. You pick it up from the table. Underneath it, there’s a note.

“_ Due to popular demand, the videos have been returned to their rightful owners (they were originally mixed up before they were stolen). Enjoy :)” _

“Goddammit, Tsumugi,” you mutter to yourself.

There’s a new wave of curiosity to you now. 

_ These are motives _, you tell yourself. 

Despite that, you find yourself tapping the screen. It lights up, your silhouette appears on both sides of the screen. Text in the middle reads “Kaede Akamatsu’s Motive Video.” 

“It’s an oldie but a goody, it’s time for the classic motive video!” Monokuma’s voice says from the pad. “Who’s the most important person in _ your _ life?”

You can already feel regret creeping into your chest but you don’t stop watching. The screen changes. It’s a picture of... you. You stand there with your hit novel and a big smile on your face.

Monokuma begins his narration, “Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Writing Prodigy. Thanks to her incredible talent, Kaede is the youngest successful author of the century! Each book is an instant bestseller and has won her not only nationwide fame but worldwide fame too! Wow!”

You’re scared to see where he’s going with this.

“But no good celebrity makes it without the help of their supportive family. We’ve scored an exclusive interview with her mother, who misses her dearly.”

_ What?! _

The screen changes again. It’s... it’s mum. Just as you remember her. Beautiful wavy locks of hair rest on her shoulders. Her face is as soft and caring as her heart. She’s wearing your favourite sweater that matches her magenta eyes. Tears stream down her face. She’s sitting on a pink couch.

“Kaede,” she sniffles, “please... please come home. Live for me. It’s so lonely here... I-I miss watching T.V with you.”

She sobs, grabbing another tissue from the box on the table. Your legs wobble. Your eyes start to sting.

“P-please, come home. The world is a darker place without you.”

“Mum...”you choke out.

Monokuma starts talking again. “Her only wish... is for Kaede to come home. Will she be able to fulfill her mother’s wish?”

Tears fall from your eyes. 

“Oh yeah, one more thing.”

“H-huh?”

“Shortly after this interview was finished, this MILF suffered from a terrible accident...” Monokuma pops up on the screen, “What kind of accident? Find out after graduation!”

As Monokuma’s laugh rings from the tablet, you fall to your knees and drop it on the ground. All you can do is stare. Struck silent, you let the tears fall from your cheeks and onto the floor. Your heart starts to tear at your lungs, an unfamiliar pain claws inside of your chest.

_ She falls from the tree. Skyscrapers pass her as she falls fast enough to burst into flame. She looks up as the branches hit her flesh. Compared to the tree, she’s an insect. How far she falls, she can’t see. She reaches to grab something, anything but she can’t catch herself. And when she hits the ground _—

Ding dong!

You shudder. Ripped from the collapsing fantasy, you stare at the door. Someone is outside. Why is someone outside your door? The morning announcement has only just gone off, you’re not that late. Not that everyone goes to the dining hall anyway. 

Ding dong!

There it goes again. Do you want to answer? Is it worth it?

Knock, knock, knock.

You slowly come to your feet. You wipe your face on your sleeve. You take a deep breath and open the door.

“Good morning, Kae...” Kibou trails off.

“M-morning, Kibou,” you sniff.

It doesn’t take long for him to realise what happened, “Did you watch the video?”

You nod.

“Oh,” he says.

You try to tell him that everything is fine and you should just go to the dining hall. He insists on helping you there, pointing out how much you’re trembling. In the end, he ends up acting as your support, gently resting his hand on your lower back to keep you from falling. You walk together to the dining hall.

_ Seems like I’m not the only one. _

As is probably standard at this point, Shuichi is curled up on the floor. He whines and moans in agony while everyone else looks on. There’s a bowl of rice just beside his face, most likely from Kiyo trying to help. Kirumi kneels and tries to coach him into standing up but it doesn’t do anything. At the table, Himiko blankly stares off into space while tracing something on the table with her chopsticks. You don’t think you’ve ever seen someone look so vacant. She’s mumbling something.

“What’s going on?” Kibou asks.

“I dunno. I caught Shuichi standing around in the middle of a panic attack and when I tried to talk to him, he screamed something about the gym,” Kirumi says.

“Maki carried him into the dining hall but then she started threatening everyone with wrenches and screwdrivers,” Tenko says.

“We have yet to figure out what is happening with Himiko,” Kiyo adds.

Kirumi stands up, “She keeps saying stuff like “Magic show,” and “Extreme water magic,” or something. It’s creeping me out.”

“All three of them said something about the gym,” Kiyo says, pensively, “but when we investigated, we found nothing of note.”

“Did he watch the motive?” you ask.

Kirumi holds her chin, “If he did, he didn’t say anything about it. It’s all been gym this, gym that.”

“Although, I do remember he did say something about Ryoma,” Tenko says.

_ What has Ryoma got to do with this? _

You walk away from Kibou. Kirumi and Tenko step out of the way to let you through. You sit down and slowly reach to touch Shuichi’s hand. Shuichi flinches but doesn’t pull away. You shuffle a little closer and lift his hand away from his head.

“Do you remember the breathing exercise?” you quietly ask.

He nods.

“Could we try that?”

“I-I’ve... for—” he swallows, “f-forgotten.”

“That’s okay, just try and follow me.”

In for four, hold for four, out for six. You keep repeating it over and over. Shuichi follows as best he can. The whole room seems to be breathing by the time you stop counting out loud. You think everyone else is also following along. Suddenly, you don’t feel so small.

Slowly, Shuichi sits up from the floor. You can hear clinking coming from the table. Himiko is eating her rice with tired but alive eyes.

“You should eat,” you say, picking up the bowl from the floor, “running on an empty stomach doesn’t help anyone.”

Shuichi takes the bowl and starts eating. 

Kirumi stares down at you with confusion. “How... why did that work?”

“You can’t be stressed if you have a still heart. It tells your brain that because you are breathing in a relaxed way, you should feel relaxed,” Tenko says.

Kirumi plays with her skirt. 

Kiyo prepares a bowl for you and Kibou and everyone eats in relieved silence. Tenko and Kirumi exchange a few glances but it’s nothing malicious. You think they’re finally starting to understand each other. You hope this means they can put an end to their rivalry.

Once you’re finished, you decide to head back to the dorms. The walk there is quite nice and relaxing, probably because of the breathing. Not using the GPS function also helps with taking in the environment. Yet, there is something artificial to it. You don’t doubt that the plants are real but that’s not the problem. It’s as if you were inside of a snowglobe. The huge glass dome doesn’t help with that feeling either. There’s the feeling of being watched that makes youIt’s uncomfortable. You look around and—

_ BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP _

_ Shit! _

You spin on your toes and run back into the school. You run up the stairs, passing Kirumi who tries to ask what is up with the beeping. You fly up the second flight and rush to Kibou’s lab. You throw open the door.

“Stop!” you shriek, panting.

“Kaede?” Rantaro says, “What are you—”  
“How did you find us?” Korekiyo asks.

You bend over to catch your breath. “I set... up cameras... motion sensors... triggered the receiver...” you dig through your bag and turn off the receiver.

Kiyo looks around the room. They look behind you and the closing door reveals the sensor. They look up at the guns, then the shelves. They stalk to the shelf and move some things aside. They take out the camera and the photos.

“You... knew about this room?” Rantaro asks, sounding hurt.

“Not just me... Ryoma and Angie too.”

Kiyo narrows their eyes, “I assume you also didn’t intend to tell anyone. How long did you plan to keep this secret?”

“I—”

Ding dong, dong ding.

The horrible sound sends shivers down your spine.

“A body has been discovered! Everyone, please make your way to the pool!”

You, Rantaro and Kiyo exchange looks. Dread rises in the room.

“We’ll discuss this later,” Kiyo says and shoves the photos down their shirt.

The three of you run down the stairs and to the pool. Kiyo is the last to arrive. You see everyone who was in the dining hall at the doors. You quickly prepare yourself for whoever is inside. The sliding doors open. You push through the crowd to see Kaito is in the water with a body beside him. He shudders as he carefully grips the body and flips it over so its face up. He backs away again. 

"No," he mumbles as he stands at the edge.

Floating in the pool, face up. Something stringy clings onto him, lots of what looks like fish bob around the body. The smell of death, salt and chlorine swim together into a putrid stench that makes it hard to breathe.

Gonta Gokuhara is dead. Deadly life begins once again.


	16. Of Devils and Mischief and Prayers - Deadly Life I

The second body discovery announcement rings through the school. It doesn’t take long for those who weren’t already in the pool to come running in.

“Wh-who did this?!” Kaito shouts. He runs his wet hands through his hair.

“I-I don’t know! I don’t know, I don’t know I don’t know,” Shuichi repeats as he staggers around.

“Whoa, slow down!” Kirumi runs after him before he can fall into the pool. She tugs his tie and pulls him over to you. “Fix him! I can’t focus on anything with him stumbling everywhere!”

“Is that the only reason you want him to calm down?” you ask, offended on Shuichi’s behalf.

“Listen, I look out for myself. I want him to be better for his sake too but I always put myself before anyone else.”

Tenko stands straighter, “You’re more selfish than I thought.”

“Like you’re any better.  _ Wanting to improve girls _ , my ass! You only care about your own ideal view to make yourself feel better about your sad life!”

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” Angie cheers.

“Why do you want them to fight?” asks Himiko.

“God must see how humans structure their fights so He may win all of them!”

“I’ll have you know my reasoning is entirely selfless,” Tenko rebuts.

Kirumi rolls her eyes, “Yeah, right. And I guess not staining your stupid kimono is entirely selfless too.”

The group delves into chaos as everyone speaks over one another. You look up at Kiyo. They don’t give you any encouraging nods. They only stare back, silent.

Before Kirumi can shout her next insult, you pull out the receiver. 

_ BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP _

“Everybody, shut up!” you shout over it.

The room goes silent. You turn off the receiver and get down to business. “Kiyo, take Shuichi outside and help him calm down. Kibou, you’re in charge of keeping Tenko and Kirumi away from each other until they sort themselves out. Angie... please stop encouraging people to fight. We’re already under a lot of stress as it is.”

Angie nods with enthusiasm, “Okie dokie!”

Kibou approaches Kirumi but she rolls her eyes and groans before he can say anything. She stomps away from Tenko and folds her arms. Kiyo gently guides Shuichi out of the pool doors just as you ordered. You sigh. Why does everything have to be so exhausting?

_ Someone just died, I think we can stand to be a little tense _ .

...

“How do you suppose we get the body out?” Rantaro asks.

“Just swim in and get him,” Maki says.

Kibou volunteers but Kaito stops him. 

“See those things wrapped around him?” Kaito points to the strings on Gonta’s body. “Those are jellyfish. Don’t touch them.”

“I think my clothing should be sufficient enough to hold them off,” Kibou says.

“No, you don’t understand. They aren’t just any jellyfish, those are  _ box _ jellyfish. You know how Australia has a bunch of animals made to kill people? Big spiders, birds that kick hard, boxing kangaroos, and stuff?”

Kibou slowly nods in fake understanding.

“Yeah, these things are the most venomous creatures on the planet. One sting and you’ll be dead in minutes.”

“What the hell?” you mutter.

“How do you know so much about jellyfish?” Himiko asks.

Kaito runs a hand through his hair. Realising what’s in the water, he flicks his hand in disgust. “When you’re a swimmer who wants to cross the seas, you gotta know the wildlife before you die from it. Australia’s a messed up place in particular so I gotta be careful if I ever go there. Nice beaches, terrifying wildlife.”

“Where would someone even get a box jellyfish?” Maki wonders.

Kirumi stares at Kaito.  _ Seems like she’s got a pretty good idea. _

“So how do we get the body out?” Tenko asks.

Kaito hesitates. “As long as you don’t touch the stingers, you should be fine. I think jellyfish don’t do well in chlorine pools or outside water in general.”

You ask Kibou, Maki and Kaito to pull Gonta out of the pool seeing as they remain the strongest and most capable. Maki grumbles something about _ not inventing the waterproof clothes yet  _ as she shuffles to the edge of the pool. Kibou slips into the pool and carefully circles Gonta’s body and Kaito guides him so he doesn’t hurt himself. Kibou pushes Gonta to the edge where Maki and Kaito lift him out and onto the tiles. You stare down at Gonta’s corpse. His eyes are still open from shock, boring into the ceiling. You gulp. You’re used to seeing a confused but soft gentleman looking down at you but... now that’s gone. This is a really bad day. First the motive, now this. You try to take those deep breaths to keep another breakdown inside.  It doesn’t help when you hear  _ that laugh  _ pop up behind you.

“Puhuhuhu! Finally, another victim!” Monokuma chuckles, “Jeez, you sure kept me waiting. I was scared it wouldn’t happen at all!”

“Hurry up and tell us what you want us to do,” you say with impatience.

Monokuma tsks, “Bossy, bossy, bossy. All you kids want is to have things appear right before you in an instant. Such an impatient youth.”

“Says you. You gave us a time limit last time,” Tsumugi shakes her head.

“Alright, alright. Here’s... the Monokuma File!” Monokuma pulls a singular tablet out of nowhere and drops it on the floor.

“I see you’ve opted to just have the one instead of 14 separate tablets,” Maki observes.

“13, now,” Kibou corrects.

“Yeah, thanks for the reminder,” Kirumi sneers.

“Welp, that’s all from me! Have fun investigating!” With that, Monokuma disappears.

“At least his kids didn’t show up,” Ryoma says, relieved.

“I can’t believe it. I refuse to believe someone here killed someone like Gonta,” Kaito says through gritted teeth.

“We cannot let those feelings cloud the truth. If someone like Miu was able to exist and kill, we cannot dismiss the possibility that one of us killed again,” Rantaro says.

“But this despair... someone as charming as Gonta dying,” Tsumugi pumps her fists, “this is only going to get more exciting!”

“Okay, who thinks it was Tsumugi again?” Kaito asks.

His hand goes up. No-one agrees with him.

“What? You heard her. She thinks this is exciting.”

“Kaito,” it hurts for you to admit this but... “we have reason to believe you are suspicious.”

“Wh-what? Me?”

Maki begins to list, “Nobody else has that much knowledge about sea creatures. Not to mention the fact that you use the pool the most often, your lab is right next to the pool and you have access to dangerous marine animals.” 

“You seriously think I killed him?” Kaito looks more irritated than afraid.

“Don’t worry, we’re going to prove you’re not the culprit,” you reassure him.

“Or prove that you are!” Angie adds.

“Not helpful.”

You shiver. It’s happening again. First Kokichi, now Gonta. For the sake of those who have been wronged, you have to survive. To honour, you will survive. To survive, you will investigate.

_ Jeez, cut the intro out. This isn’t a cop drama or something _ .

No, but Tsumugi seems to think so. It begins again. You shake out the nerves and get down to business.

_ For Gonta _ , you think,  _ and for his family. _

** _ Investigation START! _ **

The first thing you do is pick up the Monokuma file. As much as you hate this thing, it did prove to be useful last time. You hate that you had to use the term  _ last time _ at all. It’s even worse to think about  _ next time _ . You tap the screen and pull up Gonta’s details.

‘ _ The victim is Gonta Gokuhara, the Ultimate Martial Artist. _

_ Height: 198 cm _

_ Weight: 94 kg _

_ Chest: 108 cm _

_ Blood type: A’ _

You tap  _ Situation _ and try not to cringe at Gonta’s mugshot.

‘ ** Cause of Death **

_ The victim’s body was discovered in the pool at 9:40 AM. _

_ The victim’s body has been scarred by venomous stingers.’ _

“Wow, that’s almost nothing,” Tsumugi comments, leaning over your shoulder.

“I know,” you moan. You really don’t want to deal with her right now.

“Well, it’s a start. We haven’t got a cause of death and some other details,” she taps her chin, “hm... the time was very important for the last trial which is why it was left out before. But something else is missing... something big...”

You blankly stare ahead. “Kaito, new job. Keep Tsumugi away from me.”

He frowns, “Seriously?”

“Alright.” You turn around, “Hey, Kibou. New job—”

“Okay, I’ll do it.” 

You’re not sure why that worked. Is he trying to prove something?

Tsumugi whines about not being able to work with the lead detective as she levels up from Hannay to Layton. Whatever that means. Kaito lightly elbows you as he pushes Tsumugi away. “ _ Nice work, leader, _ ” he whispers, winking. You roll your eyes.

Still, Tsumugi sort of has a point. The last file listed the cause of death but not the time which turned out to be really important. The same must be true here as well.

_ Monokuma, you son of a bitch. _

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Monokuma File 2” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

Alright, that’s one thing. As potentially unhelpful as that is, the thing that worries you most is the pool itself. Truth be told, you’re looking for any excuse to get out of looking at the body. Kibou can deal with that. 

Walking around the pool, you look around for more clues. Something crunches under your shoes. You step back and try to brush off whatever you just stepped on. You take a closer look.

It’s rubble. It’s not the same colour as the floor or walls. It’s not even the same texture when you pick it up, it’s smooth on one side and sharp around the edges. It’s also chalky and rough. It looks like tile but as far as you can see, it doesn’t match the tiles underneath them. The pool tiles are beige while the pieces are white. 

_ Where did this come from? _

It sure as hell didn’t come from the ceiling since that’s made of glass. If it’s not that or the walls or the floor...  _ Hm... _

You pick up the larger pieces and slip them into your bag.

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Tile Pieces” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

The water is pink and gross, that much you can pick up on without an in-depth analysis. You don’t expect anyone to argue with you about the fact that Gonta was killed in this pool.

...Maybe. Now you’re not so sure. Was it here? Was it elsewhere? The file doesn’t list any other injuries but... does that cover drowning? Does something get injured when a person drowns? That doesn’t sound plausible...

“Hey, Monokuma?” 

Monokuma appears. “You called?”

“Could you drain the pool? I think it might help with the investigation.”

“Hm... alrighty then, if you say so!”

He disappears. A few seconds pass. You hear this loud sucking noise coming from the other side of the pool. The Monokubs have stuck a large vacuum into the pool and are storing it all in a large tank with wheels. Not the most efficient method, you would’ve thought. Once the pool is drained, they push the tank all the way to you. They all pant out of breath.

“There... you... punk-ass,” Monokid groans.

You stare down at the pink water. “Um... thanks.”

The Monokubs disappear, leaving you with a tank full of blood. Maki comes over to look at the tank. 

She grimaces. “It stinks.”

“Yeah,” you agree.

The pool may be clear of the water but it’s not entirely empty. It seems you’ve found more than one dead body. A couple of fish lay on the tiles with lifeless eyes and open mouths. The gills are flared in desperation. This is really gross. You didn’t think it was possible but combined with the blood tank, this is a hundred times grosser than the sticky mats.

“Where did the fish come from?” you ask.

“Probably Kaito’s lab,” Maki says.

You frown, “Why are these in the pool?”

“I dunno. It’s not like the pool is that far from Kaito’s lab so it’s not totally unreasonable.”

“What’s not unreasonable?”

She shoots you a look. Then she tilts her head at Kaito.

“You don’t seriously think...”

“Listen, we don’t know him. We don’t know each other.”

“But Kaito would never—”

“Remember Miu? She lied.” Maki crosses her arms over her chest, “I’m not about to get friendly with a guy who almost got us all killed because he thought with his fist instead of his head if he even has anything inside of it to think with.”

You look over at Kaito. He appears to be listening to Tsumugi rambling about something. He looks tired and frustrated. Not sure you’d call him a killer. Not sure you’d say it was impossible either.

“Still, this is a weird collection of fish,” Maki adds.

“How so?” you ask.

“Box jellyfish, some eels, what looks like a blowfish. It’s like someone just picked up random dangerous fish from an aquarium and dumped them into the pool.”

_ Are these linked to Gonta’s death or are these a distraction? _

If he drowned then these fish have nothing to do with the murder at all. If one of these fish killed him, the next question would be  _ which one? _ Did the killer want to throw everyone off? Are these just... red herrings?

_ Not funny, Kaede. _

It was a little though.

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Fish In Pool” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

“Tenko, as much as I’d like to help—”

“I cannot ruin my kimono again and I’m sure that it is vital evidence.”

Ryoma shakes his head, “I’m just worried about how tall I am compared to the ladder. It would be really uncool if I had to get someone else to lift me out afterwards.”

“What’s this about?” you ask.

“I noticed something in the pool but I’m concerned about the floor,” Tenko explains.

“Scared of slipping over?” you ask.

She huffs, “I won’t slip! I am considered the most graceful woman in Japan!”

“Then get the thing yourself, if you’re so confident!” Kirumi shouts from the other side.

“I’ve already ruined my other kimono from you tackling me into the grass, I refuse to let you dirty another one!”

Looking at the bottom of the pool, you wouldn’t want to go there either. Looking at Ryoma, you can understand why he wouldn’t want to use the ladder. 

You look around. Maki is gone. You guess that she’s gone outside.

After some arguing you’ve decided to tune out, Kirumi throws up her arms and climbs into the pool herself. You call for her to be careful but she waves you off. 

“It’s in the far corner, closest to the gym,” Tenko says.

Kirumi looks up in annoyance. “Is it under the eel?”

“Yes.”

She groans, “Ugh, be grateful! I’m only doing this ‘cause I wanna know what the stupid thing is.” 

Kirumi walks to the eel. She shuffles over to it with one foot in front of her. She lightly kicks the eel. She shivers and shoves the eel away with her boot. She looks up at you, Tenko, and Ryoma. Shuddering, she picks up something black and dripping from the floor.

“Heads!” 

You can barely react as she balls it up and throws it out of the pool. It sails passed your head. Some water gets on your face. You quickly wipe it off with your sleeve.

“How vile!” Tenko shouts.

“How unlucky,” Tsumugi sighs.

You turn around. Tsumugi's face has pure disgust written all over it. She looks down at the water stained on her shirt, she pulls it as far away from her skin as possible. Out of curiosity, she sniffs it. She gags. “Oh, that’s really bad. Worse than the mats bad.”

“Score!” Kirumi cheers while climbing up the ladder. 

“You meant to hit her?” Tenko scolds.

“Well, not really but I’m not complaining that I did.”

Tenko rolls her eyes.

“What even is it?” Ryoma asks.

Tsumugi crouches down, pinches the mysterious object between her fingers and picks it up. She uses her other hand and peels them apart, revealing two different blobs. They drip more than they absorb. She squeezes them between her fingers and water splashes onto her skirt. She flicks them to shake what’s left out.

“These look like gloves,” she says.

“Hey, that shit has nothing to do with me.” Kirumi grows flustered.

“Nobody suggested that they did,” Ryoma says.

You wonder if any of the boys know about these. If the other evidence has anything to say about this, you get the feeling that Kaito might know. Then again, a clothing item may be in Shuichi’s category. If he’s calmed down enough to analyse them, that is. 

You might get Tsumugi to hold onto those.

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Wet Gloves” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

You turn your head to see Kibou staring at you. He stands over Gonta’s body with Kaito and Tsumugi behind him. His eyes look like they’re pleading for something. Judging from the way Angie and Himiko are rambling about Gods and the like, you can see why. You walk over to him, despite your brain telling you you would rather be anywhere else. You stand over Gonta’s body.

“Anything?” 

Kibou taps on his chin. “I would like to know what killed him. Is it in the Monokuma file?”

“No, it’s not.”

“What?”

You show it to him. He reads over the file. He frowns. He asks if he can hold onto the file for a little longer and you tell him he can have it for as long as he needs. 

Kibou crouches down and moves some hair out of the way. He hovers his hands over the jellyfish, clearly unsure if his gloves would protect him. He gently squeezes the body and tries to pull it from Gonta’s corpse. He considers pinching the tentacles but decides against it. He seems defeated when he drops the jellyfish and focuses on something.

“What is it?” you ask.

He lowers himself even further and brings his fingers up to pinch a tentacle. Near the end, he carefully grabs a piece of black fabric and peels it from the jellyfish’s grasp. He brings it up so you can see it.

“Describe it to me,” you say.

“Huh?”

“I’m not wearing gloves and frankly, I’m terrified of accidentally getting stung. Can you describe to me what it feels like?”

Kibou wiggles it in the air, stretches it between his fingers, presses down between the gloves.

“It’s... soft and lightweight. I think.” He shrugs. “Hard to tell with the gloves and all.”

_ Fair enough, _ you figure.

This fabric could belong to anyone here. Kirumi’s gloves, Rantaro’s coat, Himiko’s coat, Kibou’s undershirt, Shuichi’s undershirt... Where did this come from?

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Black Fabric” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

Carefully, you reach out to touch the fabric. Kibou flinches as you pluck it out of his fingers and hold it closer to your eyes. Sure enough, soft and lightweight. Just like he said. You store it in your bag for inspection later.

Moving on, Kibou pulls open the slit in Gonta’s clothes which you think was done by his knife, “There’s a concerningly large area of bumpy and red skin on his back. I presume this is from the jellyfish, though I cannot tell for certain.”

That makes you cringe a little. Kaito’s case doesn’t look very good.

“That’s not the only symptom.” He flips Gonta over to the side, raises Gonta’s arm and opens the cut on his sleeve, “See the bump in the axilla?” He points to the armpit area. Indeed, there is a large area that sags and bulges from his skin. “This means the lymph nodes have swollen which usually happens either if the area is infected or there is a tumour. I doubt it’s the latter, it may just be another symptom of the jellyfish sting. I can’t say for certain if it’s the cause of death.” 

_ Really not looking good for Kaito right now. _

“I also can’t confirm if it was a drowning since that requires more... in-depth autopsy.”

You nod, “Right.”

“Cutting him open, I mean.”

“I know.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“Although...” he taps his finger on his chin and looks off. “You remember how the body looked before we took it out?”

You cringe. “Yes?”

“Don’t you think it’s strange? I may have to look further into this but... shouldn’t Gonta’s body have stayed at the bottom of the pool?”

Kibou ponders this. You think Kaito may know more about drowning since he already knows about dangerous aquatic animals for whatever reason. You may have to raise this with him.

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Kibou’s Autopsy” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

“Due to the conditions of the room, I can’t tell when he was killed exactly,” Kibou adds, shaking his head.

You look down at Gonta’s body. Time of death... what would indicate a time of death?

Crouching down beside Kibou, you brace yourself and then flip over Gonta’s hand so it’s palm-side up. You trace your fingers over his.

“He must have been in the pool for longer than five minutes, he’s all wrinkled,” you say.

Kibou looks at Gonta’s fingers. He pulls at the skin. “You’re right. Then...”

“That doesn’t really limit the time of death, does it?”

He looks around the room, regarding each person with a small “Hm...”

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Gonta’s Fingers” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

“Hey, while I’ve got you here, I’ll need to ask for alibis. What were you doing from the time after the training program to when the announcement rang out?”

Kibou hesitates. “I um... I went to walk around the school to see if I could find anything on the mastermind. I couldn’t get the secret door in the library to open so I left it for a later date.” He fiddles with the pad between his hands, “I couldn’t help but think I was being watched. Afterwards, I started walking around the third floor where I ran into Angie. They said something really cryptic about how I should stay away from the top floor. I haven’t gone up there for that reason alone.” He shudders. “For some reason, my worries went away as soon as I came back to the dorms right after and then I slept until the morning announcement.”

You gulp. Thank God Angie was able to deter Kibou from finding the lab but from the sounds of it, they sound a lot more dangerous than you had anticipated. Angie was out for longer than everyone else again. They could have been doing the alibi chart like last time but a part of you doubts it if they were inside the school instead of the dorms. You’ll have to ask them about it later.

“And did you see Gonta with Angie when you ran into them?”

He shakes his head. “I didn’t see him for the rest of the night. Sorry.”

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Kibou’s Account” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

You turn around and start to ask around for more alibis. You walk up to Kirumi first, asking her about what she did after the training last night. She looks to the side. She explains that she and Shuichi were both too tired to practise playing music last night so they walked each other to their dorms. They had organised a jam session the morning after but that was cut short when he started to complain about his stomach. They walked inside the school building and that’s when Shuichi suddenly screamed and collapsed to the ground. She says that Maki had come in like a bullet train, scooped Shuichi up in her arms, kicked the cafeteria door open and then decided to drop him and got needlessly aggressive. Maki then stormed out to who knows where. After you “worked your magic on him,” she decided to stay with him for the rest of the morning. Well, it wasn’t for that long since Kaito had burst in suddenly while shouting about how everyone needed to come to the pool. She looks at him with suspicion.

“We can’t make any real claims yet,” you say before she can.

“I know but...” she bites her lip, “I guess the evidence would be there but I find it hard to believe he’d kill after what happened with... you know.”

You do admit, Kaito doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would shout at someone who had killed someone and then turn around and commit murder for a selfish reason. Why would he kill Gonta of all people? Although, you could make a theory about masculinity or a potential argument that happened between the two. 

You shake your head. “We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

Kirumi nods and you move onto Tenko. 

Tenko claims that she, Himiko and Kiyo were in the cafeteria at around the same time after the morning announcement. Kirumi then proceeds to get on her case about where she was before the morning announcement. The two bicker a little so you physically pull Tenko away. She continues by adding that she ran into Angie as she was walking out of the dorms but Angie had come from outside the dorms. She notes that they looked like they hadn’t slept.

“That makes them rather suspicious,” she concludes.

“Well, we still don’t know the time of death so it could have just been Angie doing whatever it is Angie usually does.”

“They’re still a crazy bitch!” Kirumi shouts from behind.

Tenko clenches her jaw and huffs. Looks like she didn’t have enough time to do her morning techniques today.

You crease your brows. “Hey, Kirumi, did you see Angie when you and Shuichi walked out?”

She tilts her head. “No, but I heard them. There was a rustling in the bushes and some note-taking. I knew it was them.”

“Tenko, one last question,” you add before she loses it, “how many people  _ stayed _ in the cafeteria after I left?”

She thinks for a moment. “There was me, Shuichi, Kirumi and Himiko. Kaito came in afterwards.”

“So Kiyo and Kibou left?”

She snarls, “You know men. They don’t care about each other long enough to make sure Shuichi was alright. They left that to the girls.”

“Kiyo isn’t a man.”

Tenko freezes for a second. She stutters but nothing coherent tumbles out of her mouth. You wonder if you’ve just shattered her world with that revelation.

“W-well, the point still stands. It’s only the girls who care about others.”

Guess not.

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Shuichi’s Panic Attack” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

You look around but Maki, Himiko, Rantaro and Angie have disappeared from the scene. That’s irritating. You feel like you’ve searched the whole area now but still, something feels off. You’re missing something...

“I think we should check out that room,” you say, pointing to the small window above you.

Kibou follows your gaze. “That’s Kaito’s lab.”

“Jeez, none of this is looking good for Kaito so far.”

He looks down at Gonta. “I agree.”

You turn to leave when Kaito and Tsumugi run up to you. Tsumugi starts rambling about how what she’s saying is perfectly reasonable and Kaito argues the opposite. Something about foils and heroes and villains...? The separation between protagonist and hero? Hope and despair? How Tsumugi is full of shit and can’t keep her mouth shut?

“I need to ask you two where you were from after the training program to when the body discovery announcement played.”

That gets them to shut up pretty quickly. Kaito explains that he was in his room from after the programme to a little after the morning announcement. Afterwards, he claims that he took a run around the dome to warm up before he planned to jump into the pool. As soon as he stepped in, he found Gonta’s body in the pool and ran to go tell someone. He burst into the cafeteria and shouted for everyone to come as quickly to the pool as possible and once they all arrived, the body discovery announcement played.

Tsumugi has a less detailed response. She says that she waited until everyone fell asleep before breaking into their rooms. When you ask who had returned to their dorms, she grins and doesn’t answer. She continues by saying she handed out the motive videos and then slept until the morning announcement. She figured it would be best to stay quarantined in her room from the outrage that would probably come soon after. She only came out after the body discovery announcement played which she describes as “The most despair-inducing sound she has ever heard.”

“Next question,” you point to Kaito, “you know anything about drowning?”

He looks taken aback. “What kinda question is that?”

“An important one. Is it strange that Gonta didn’t sink to the bottom of the pool?”

“I... uh...”

While Kaito struggles to answer your question, Tsumugi is grinning from ear-to-ear.

“I dunno. Maybe? I don’t really think about drowning. I guess I should, considering my dream.” Kaito shrugs. “Sorry.”

Tsumugi leans on her toes. “Wanna know something funny? I was  _ just _ reading about this before we ended up in the killing game. Murder mysteries, am I right?”

You groan really loudly. Deciding that you can probably handle her better than Kaito, you tell Tsumugi to follow you and let Kaito and Kibou investigate together. Kaito starts to object, you tell him to shut up. Not in those exact words but you’re pretty damn close to screaming at him.

He finally turns around and walks away to go find Kibou. Before Tsumugi can gush over leadership skills, you tell her to shut up. In those exact words. You figure she can’t be trusted to stay close if you use the GPS function so you have to walk all the way up. You pass Shuichi and Kiyo on the way out. You order Tsumugi to show him the gloves. Shuichi reluctantly takes them and feels them between his fingers. He stretches and plays with them, turning them inside out and fiddling with the gloves. He looks disgusted. You don’t blame him for that.

“Th-the fabric is pretty thick and stretchy. It m-might be polyester and PBT. I don’t think these gloves belong to anyone here.”

“What about Kibou?” you ask.

He shakes his head, “His are m-made of nylon and synthetic leather. N-not the s-same thing.” 

“What would the gloves be for?”

“J-judging from how water re-resistant it is, I’d say these are l-like... st-stinger gloves or something.”

_ That would explain how the jellyfish were moved. _ Why anyone would use jellyfish of all things to kill someone is beyond you. 

“Thanks, Shuichi, you’ve been a great help,” you smile.

“I-it’s nothing.”

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Wet Gloves” has been updated in your Monopad. **

You might as well collect some alibis here while you’re at it. You ask Korekiyo what they were doing for all of this morning and last night. They look away for a moment.

“I fell asleep shortly after the incident from last night. I woke up to complete my morning routine and then prepared rice for breakfast. After the morning announcement, Himiko and Tenko arrived. They sat and ate but I noticed Himiko was staring off into space. Shortly after, I heard someone screaming outside.”

“Th-that was me. Sorry,” Shuichi admits.

“Tenko was about to check out what had happened when Maki came in with Shuichi in her arms.”

“A-after she put m-me down, she st-started yelling and threatening everyone. I think she was the last to r-react to the... panic.”

Tsumugi tilts her head, “Panic?”

Shuichi rubs his elbow and looks away. He looks ready to sink in on himself again.

Kiyo continues, “Maki left, I presume she went back to her lab. I tried to give Shuichi some rice but to no avail. A couple of minutes had passed when you and Kibou came in and calmed Shuichi down. After you left, I decided to take a walk outside. I saw Rantaro and offered him a bowl but he refused. Instead, he asked if I wanted to explore the floors we did not see before. I’m sure Kaede knows the rest.”

You take a sharp breath through clenched teeth. Tsumugi and Shuichi give you confused looks but you don’t elaborate. Kiyo, thankfully, doesn’t either.

“So... that gives you, Rantaro and Kiyo an alibi for before the body discovery announcement,” Tsumugi says.

“Yeah,” you sigh, “guess it does.”

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Kibou’s Lab Secret” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

You ask Shuichi for his alibi and he quickly explains that he was also in his dorm room all night. The panic attack this morning also gives him a good alibi. He swallows and turns his head away when you mention that. Before you walk away, Kiyo pulls you aside. They pull out the photos from their shirt. One quick sniff, you can tell that they used the floral deodorant you gave them. Somehow, that makes their glare sting more.

“I wish to keep these photos but I figure you should at least look at them,” they say, handing them to you.

You flip through them. The first few are from the camera under the bench.  _ How did they find these? _ They must be awfully observant.

The first photo is dark but you can make out two pairs of feet; Gonta’s and Angie’s. The second only has Angie’s and the third has Angie’s as well as Kibou’s boots.  _ Must have been when they scared him off.  _ The third is oddly blank as it only shows the bench and tufts of grass in front of it. There’s a smeared image at the side of the photo but you can’t figure out what it is. If you had to guess, maybe a shoe? Not sure who they would be though. You find that the next ones were taken during the day. They show Rantaro and Kiyo’s shoes walking calmly followed by you rushing to the door in the next. The last is of Kiyo crawling to retrieve it. 

The next ones are the ones hidden near the door. The first one shows Angie and Gonta checking out the perimeter and the second is Angie by themselves approaching the door. Again, Rantaro and Kiyo walking down in one, you running in the other and Kiyo picking it up after. 

The last ones are from Kibou’s lab. Angie opened the door. There are a few shots of Angie looking around and picking up random weapons. They also take some armour and protective gear. You narrow your eyes.  _ What are they doing? _ The next takes place in the morning as Rantaro opens the door. The second catches you off guard for the simple fact that Rantaro is staring directly into the camera.  _ Did he know? Why would he know? Is it just a lucky gaze? _ You flip to the next photo and make a note to ask Rantaro about the others. The second last one is of you bursting in. It’s a little blurry from how quickly you came in and how they spun their heads. The last is of Kiyo investigating the camera.

“I have no clue what these photos will be used for but I figure it would be better for more of us to know than not know,” they say.

“Thanks,” you reply.

“This does not make me any less suspicious of you.”

You frown, “But we all have alibis, I couldn’t have—”

“That is not what I am concerned about,” they take the photos out of your hands and slip them back into their shirt, “you say you wish to work together with everyone to escape yet you keep secrets and go behind our backs with cameras. I hope you realise how that makes you less trustworthy.”

“I was just... trying to help.”

“Keeping secrets does not build trust within the group, it builds tension. I suggest you either tell everyone about Kibou’s lab or adapt your meaning of  _ working together _ .”

Kiyo gives you one long, disappointed stare, and then turns to walk inside. 

You sigh. Tsumugi tries to give you a reassuring shoulder pat but you don’t let her. So much for having Kiyo on your side.

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Photographs” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

“Another thing before we go,” you pull out the black fabric from the jellyfish and present it to Shuichi, “got any ideas who this belongs to?”

He takes it and plays with the fabric. “It’s probably w-worsted wool, it’s s-soft and f-finely m-made. If I had to guess, a-around a S-super 160 or higher.”

You gesture that you have no idea what that means.

“S-sorry. Th-this could be from a lot of th-things like s-skirts or s-suits or pants. It’s p-pretty expensive though. Th-the colour... hm...” He aligns it with his shirt. The torn piece is too dark to match it. It’s too light for his undershirt. 

“I think you just made yourself even less suspicious, somehow,” you joke.

He stammers and fumbles with the fabric. “A-am I th-that s-suspicious?”

“No, that’s not--”

“I didn’t do it! I swear I d-didn’t--” he stares off into space. Tears well up in his eyes. “Sh-she didn’t...!”

“Oh, dear.”

“I-I have to f-find Kirumi!” With that, he turns around and darts inside. He’s taken the fabric with him.

_ Nice going, Kaede. _

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Black Fabric” has been updated in your Monopad. **

The only thing that could make this worse is if Tsumugi says something right now. You wait for that moment to come, it’s borderline masochistic. You hear her begin to draw breath to speak.

“Let’s go,” you say.

Tsumugi shrugs and follows you around the courtyard. You don’t talk the whole way up to the third floor. You keep looking over your shoulder to check that she is still following you, Kiyo’s words echoing as you do so. Don’t you trust your classmates? Just some and not others? Are you allowed to be so picky? Does everyone have to earn trust or should you trust them equally?

_ This is exactly what Monokuma wants, just keep going _ , you tell yourself but you also acknowledge that you’re dodging the questions.

You get to the top of the stairs on the third floor. Somehow, Tsumugi has made it so she’s in front of you. Whatever happened on those stairs must’ve really slowed you down because she’s already made it to Kaito’s lab by the time you wake up on the last step. She gives you a little head tilt of confusion but then opens the door. You follow her inside.

Kaito’s lab looks pretty much the same as it did when you peeked through the door before. An aquarium taking up the wall farthest away from the pool, decorated and decorative lifesavers on the wall opposite to the door. The floor is largely made of stone tiles but there are rows of glass with water and bright lights underneath. It’s actually quite a nice room.

Tsumugi walks to the aquarium, you reluctantly follow. She collapses and something splashes on your tights.

“Ow,” Tsumugi groans. She seems to have slipped on the floor.

“Are you...?” you don’t finish that. As much as you’d like to pretend you’ve forgiven her, she makes it hard with all of her... shenanigans. You have to tell yourself to hold off the empathy lest she tricks you again.

_ This is wrong, she’s just as much of a classmate as the rest of us. _

...

Only time will tell.

Regardless, Tsumugi is flicking her sleeves in disgust. She mumbles, “I really hope that’s water.”

You step around her and look at the puddle she slipped in. It’s not just one, there seems to be a trail. Following that trail, it leads to a door. The puddles closer to the aquarium are bigger. Tsumugi begins to ramble about how this is absolutely perfect given your book about weathermen and how there’s a scene with some puddles or something. You groan. In response, Tsumugi doesn’t stop talking but instead decides to speak for you.

“Firstly, the floor is rather cool so the puddle wouldn’t have evaporated that quickly.” She points to an air conditioner on the wall. “The windy- well, not windy but it’s a fair enough comparison- environment would also make it dry up faster but it’s releasing moisture into the air, sort of like what happens before it rains. So this puddle could have been here since last night or this morning!” She looks at you with excitement. “That...! Wait, that doesn’t tell us much, does it?”

You shake your head. 

“Bummer.”

“But the other puddles may help. This room might be cool but the place it leads to could be warmer.” You point to the door it leads to.

She begins to smile and bounce in place. “Oh, I knew it! I’m so glad I’m with the protagonist again!”

You roll your eyes.

Well, until you follow that trail, you’re probably not going to find a time of death. You still want to investigate the room a little.

Tsumugi looks down at something, folding her arms behind her back. She tilts her head.

“What’s up?” you stand beside her.

“Half of the fish in this tank are missing,” she points to the signs under the tanks, each holding a written description of the fish inside. “See? There’s no eel or jellyfish. All the other ones are still here.”

You rest your head in your hand, “So that confirms that this is where the fish came from.”

“No doubt about it.”

You look around. There’s a door on the left wall that you didn’t notice before and a set of double doors a little bit away from it. The 0ne door has another life ring nailed to the door and the double has a painting of waves hung up on a peg. One of these is probably the shower room but you’re not sure about the other. The door with the life ring is where the puddle trail leads to. You cross the room and open the door with the life ring.

_ Found the shower room _ .

White, pristine tiles on the walls and a baby blue floor. The cubicle doors have different pictures on them ranging from made-up superheroes to cute monsters to sports equipment. It’s childish and it makes you question who designed this room. Who designed this school? 

_ Why is the lab centred around fish when Kaito is the Ultimate Swimming Pro? Are there not many swimming related things they could’ve used as decoration? No sunscreen ads or lifeguard posts or ‘No running’ signs? _

You shake your head,  _ not the issue. _

You note that the room is pretty warm compared to the aquarium. It’s not dry but it is warm, enough to make you a little thirsty. The smaller puddles in this room seem to have evaporated, especially the ones farthest away from the door. They certainly aren’t as deep or wide as the ones in the aquarium. Assuming that the conditions of this room haven’t changed at all, that would mean that these couldn’t have formed too soon before the discovery announcement and, you estimate, the morning announcement. If the cause of death really links with the fish and these puddles, Gonta most likely couldn’t have been killed after you or anyone else woke up. That limits the time frame at least a little. 

_ So he was probably killed between last night and early this morning. The morning announcement goes off at 8:00 AM and the body was discovered at 8:40... _

“Want my thoughts?”

_ Not really.  _ “Sure.”

She rocks on her heels. “Well, the conditions of this room are a little different from the ones in the aquarium. The puddles in the aquarium are bigger, the floor and air are both colder and the air is a little wet. This room has smaller puddles and warmer air. Since the puddles farthest from the door have probably evaporated by now, it’s probably been at least two hours since we’ve discovered this. That said, even the smaller puddles in the aquarium are bigger than these and have more depth so unless this trail of puddles is completely unrelated to the ones coming from the tank, we could probably assume that something happened here from around 8:00 - which is roughly an hour ago from now - to around 5:00 or 6:00 - which would be three or four hours from now. My money’s on 5:00-6:00 though.”

You’re not quite sure what to say that wouldn’t be sarcastic or completely dismissive but the logic seems sound. Still, all of this based on some puddles? You’re not sure how this will turn out.

“God, I hope this actually means something,” you sigh. 

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Puddles” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

There’s a window on the far side. It’s pretty small compared to the other windows you’ve seen around but a person could easily fit through it. Well, someone of your height anyway. You look at the top of the frame. It’s not in great shape, it’s dented out and the top part of the wall is exposed. Stepping closer to the busted frame, you trail your fingers over the tiles. Chipped, chalky and broken. Sharp and, if you press your finger around it, rough. You doubt that whatever caused this was completely on purpose. The cracks aren’t too deep but enough to suggest a strong force. Was there a struggle here?

You push open the window and stare down. It leads right to the pool. Just above where you found the tile pieces.

“Found something?” Tsumugi asks.

You fish through your bag and take out the tile pieces from the pool, holding them up to the window frame. White tiles, smooth outside and sharp edges. 

“Just confirming things,” you say.

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Busted Window Frame” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

You step back from the window. 

“What’s up with the other door?” Tsumugi asks.

She walks up to it and tilts her head, skepticism clear in her face. She taps her finger against her chin. You think she’s really overdoing the detective role in her posture, it’s a bit hamfisted at this point. 

The painting hung up is pretty, you’ll give it that. Not as good as something Himiko would paint but that much is expected from an  _ Ultimate Artist _ . It puts everything else to shame. Still, nice colours.

_ Focus _ .

“Who wants to open it?” Tsumugi giddily asks.

“Does it matter?” you sigh.

“You’re right, you should open it.”

“I didn’t say that. You can open it if—”

“Rock paper scissors! Winner opens the door!”

You roll your eyes, “Fine.”

You hold out one hand and form a fist with your other. Tsumugi excitedly does the same. 

She chants, “Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!”

You throw down paper. She throws down rock.

“Aw, you won.” She strikes an inquisitive pose, “Hm... that’s strange.”

“Why is that strange?” you ask as you push the button.

“According to my luck cycle, something good should have happened after I slipped in the puddle. There’s no way that was a secret sign of good luck. I should have won that game.”

“I still find this luck thing highly unlikely,” you say in an attempt to shut down this conversation.

Tsumugi isn’t having it. “Hm... I got hit by Kirumi throwing the gloves which was bad. I got paired up with the protagonist which was good. I slipped in the bathroom which was bad.”

“Or maybe you just weren’t looking where you were walking both instances.”

“You really refuse to believe in the power of luck?”

You decide to stop humouring her. You open the door to investigate the room. It’s dark. You swat at the wall until you find a lightswitch. 

It’s a closet. There’s a mop on the far side, several cleaning supplies on shelves lining the walls and... rubber ducks. There is also a stack of gloves on one side of the shelves, most likely where the wet ones were found. Apart from the ducks, this is just a normal closet. _ _ Tsumugi steps into the room. She looks around. She walks up to the far wall and starts patting the bricks. She mumbles something about secret switches or passageways. You sigh and turn to leave.

“Wait,” she calls out to you, “stay but close the door.”

“What?”

“I saw this in a niche TV show once. If we haven’t already been locked in, we should close the door. Although, you should probably cover your ears afterwards.”

You pretend that her logic actually made sense for a few seconds and close the door. She tenses and clamps her hands over her ears. Nothing happens. That doesn’t stop Tsumugi from shutting her eyes really tight. You turn and twist the doorknob to leave. You’re tempted to lock her in there only to see how long it takes to notice. You decide that that’s a little too mean.

“Huh?”

“What?”

There’s some clambering inside. “Why isn’t anything happening?”

“What did you expect?”

She opens the door and steps out. “I thought it would be like this T.V show I found where brainwashing music would play and the closet was really an elevator and...” she buries her face in her hands, genuinely upset, “how could it not be? Why wasn’t it just like that?”

You could make a snarky remark about how she’s deluded and she shouldn’t take everything she sees from T.V as a guide for real-life... but you don’t. If fiction matters so much to her, why should you - Tsumugi’s favourite author, according to her - be the one to tell her otherwise? Why should you be the bearer of bad news? Surely, she deserves better. You’re not sure where this all came from but dammit, you’re feeling overly compassionate right now.

You rest a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry it wasn’t what you thought it was. How about we go look for everyone else and see if they’ve found anything.”

She looks up and you can see water droplets formed in her eyes. She’s biting her bottom lip in an attempt to hold it together. Strange that she cries when fiction isn’t real but laughs when the reality is tragic. You’re not sure what to think of that.

You both make your way back to the pool. The first person of interest is walking in circles in the corner of the room, muttering something under their breath.

“Angie!” you call them. 

They stop and smile. “Yes?”

You ask for their alibi. They turn their whole body to face you and bring their fingers together. It’s menacing.

“You doubt Angie and their God? That is very bold of you. You should be careful about being too bold.” Their smile drops. “I did not stay in the dorms to record as I did before. I rewarded Gonta for his loyalty and then scouted for a good... prayer room. I am not the killer.”

_ Why did they have to phrase it like that? _

“Wait, Gonta had said that he didn’t trust your plan. Why did you reward him for loyalty?”

“A good prophet knows when their followers are being misled, Akamatsu. Gonta had not. The only ones who are misled are the ones the prophet’s word has yet to reach.”

Angie bounces on their toes and then skips out the door. You can only guess that they figured out that Tsumugi impersonated Gonta last night. You hate to say it but now they’re also a pretty big suspect. You’re... not sure who the killer is. Your suspects are too many and the clues are too few. How are you supposed to solve anything with this?

Maki stomps inside. 

Rantaro follows her in, “Maki, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to--”

“After I explicitly told you not to touch anything!”

“I can pay you back from the damage. I’ve collected a lot of wealth over the past few days. I can buy you new parts!”

“I don’t care!”

“Whoa, what’s happening?” Kaito asks.

Maki glares at Rantaro and then back to the group. “This idiot came into my lab  _ without asking _ and broke one of my new inventions. I had to clean up all the pieces instead of investigating.”

“I offered to help--”

“Shut up.”

Rantaro looks stunned. Given his status, he’s probably never been told to shut up before. You almost feel bad for him. Maki’s cold voice isn’t pleasant, it could probably kill you on its own. For a first shut up, it sounds more hurt than irritated. Rantaro lowers his hand and looks to the floor.

As much as you hate to break the silence, you have to ask for alibis. You slowly walk towards Maki and wave so you don’t catch her off guard. Her eyes bore into your soul. You gulp before asking.

She looks down and loosens the tension in her shoulders. “I stayed up all night to work on my project. I didn’t care about the mayhem of yesterday, I just wanted to make something. I didn’t go into my dorms at all. I only came out to have breakfast but... something happened.”

“Shuichi had a panic attack,” you say.

She shakes her head, “It wasn’t that. It was after I walked him inside. It was like... a memory had surfaced or something. I remember being angry but also calm like I was holding back. I don’t know what came over me.”

She starts to play with her sleeves. Kibou approaches Maki. He hesitates, then holds out his hand.

“If you are scared or angry, you should be able to take it out.” He closes and opens his hand. “I haven’t felt pain in years. You can take it out on me.”

Maki studies his face but it doesn’t seem like she can find whatever she’s looking for. Her eyes relax. She raises her hand to meet his and she squeezes. Her grip is tight. Her muscles strain, she looks strong enough to crush bone with her bare hands. Her eyebrows fold over her eyes and her teeth clench. Kibou is unfazed. You watch in amazement as Kibou raises his other hand and Maki begins to punch it with all of her strength. She grunts and starts to weirdly growl as she throws herself into the punches.

Kibou turns his head. “Don’t mind us. Keep investigating.”

While Maki takes out her anger on Kibou, Kaito, Tenko and Tsumugi watch in awe, and you have enough leeway to ask Rantaro his alibi. He doesn’t answer for a moment. He has to readjust his coat, stand up straight and then politely ask you to repeat the question. His usual Amami smile is there but it’s weak.

“Oh, I see,” his face twitches. “If you must know, I went straight to bed last night. I was quite exhausted from the training program and I could not bear to handle any more excitement. I did not sleep very well last night so I slept through the morning announcement. I got out of bed around twenty minutes after it played and ran into Korekiyo.”

You thank him for his time. He stares off at Maki, his brows creasing over his eyes. 

“All of this makes me wonder... is this how it felt back in the tunnel?”

“Huh?”

He shakes his head. “What I meant to say was that... I want to make a formal apology. It certainly has been a while since we first exhausted our efforts on that death road of despair and that has given me time to reflect on myself. I see that you want to escape more than anyone else, I see it in your eyes. You were just more determined than everyone else could have expected, myself included.” He takes a deep breath, his eyelashes sweep as his eyes close. He speaks with a refined but sincere tone. “I am sorry for the way I treated you. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.”

Truth be told, you kind of forgot he said anything until he brought it up. He did end up making you cry, you figured that had to mean something. The fact that it doesn’t throws you in a confusing cluster of emotional responses. You didn’t remember until now so those feelings have finally resurfaced. You’re confused you didn’t remember, you try to analyse why.

“Ah, I understand if you don’t.”

Oops, your monologue has been abruptly put on hold. Seems like time still matters, huh?

“N-no, I do forgive you! I was just thinking about something.” You look off distantly, “Feels like my thoughts are flying off without me.”

** Obtained Truth Bullet! **

** “Rantaro’s Account” has been added to the Truth Bullet section of your Monopad. **

Rantaro is about to speak when he’s cut off.

Ding dong, bing bong

“What’s that? We’ve been here for too long? Sick of going back and forth?” Monokuma cackles from the monitor screen, “Welp, hate to break to ya but that’s just how it goes. Can’t all be fun and games, y’know? But fear not because it’s over and the main event will begin very shortly! Better hurry on to the Shrine of Judgement.”

Rantaro suddenly takes your hand in his. He smiles down at you. You feel something slip onto your wrist.

“What is...?”

“While you were investigating with Tsumugi, Kibou asked me to give this to you. You must treasure your classmates to collect mementos for them, after all.”

It’s another bracelet but it’s thin and twisty. The beads are random colours and are so small, they’re almost impossible to see. As if a child had made it. He twists the beads between his fingers so the letters are facing up at you.

“G-Gonta...” you mumble.

Rantaro lets go of your hand and follows the crowd already waiting at the door. You stare back at his body one last time with a sickness that churns with grief in your stomach. It hurts to leave him like this, even more so that this will be the last time you’ll ever see him in the flesh but with his memory with you, you can find the strength to carry on. You try to keep your mind at ease as you all make your way to the Shrine of Judgement.


	17. Of Devils and Mischief and Prayers - Deadly Life II

Soon enough, you’re standing in a descending elevator. Uneasy glances shift from person to person, the small box of a room is as tense as can be. No-one speaks, no-one is even breathing. The only one who is showing any true emotion is Tsumugi who has remained in her grinning state for the past twenty minutes. You can tell it’s freaking out Kaito.

The rusty scrapings of the elevator bring no ease to your heart, nor the restlessly bouncing Angie as they seem to be testing if they can experience zero-gravity. It’s Angie and Tsumugi that make you especially worried about this trial. Worse still, Kiyo makes their disappointment apparent in their judgmental stare. You gulp in an attempt to push your heart back down your throat. 

_ Might as well get used to chewing it now, _ your pessimistic thoughts taunt, _ maybe spitting it out will ease the pain. _It makes you shudder.

Finally, the elevator has reached the courtroom and the class steps out. Monokuma takes his seat on the throne and his Monokubs at their podiums. After a dialogue you don’t really care about, a hand is placed on your shoulder. It startles you but it’s human and recognisable at least.

“Don’t worry,” Kaito says, “you’ve got this.”

You give him a smile for his trouble even if it hasn’t made much effect on you. The conversation happening around you grabs your attention when Himiko drawls about something.

“Lotta detail in the stained glass windows. Is this for us or...?” she doesn’t finish that thought.

Maki’s eyes widen. She shoots a look at Rantaro who tries to discourage her from something. Ignoring him, she bolts toward the windows and in one swift motion she leaps, takes out a wrench from her overalls and throws it at the window. Time slows as the wrench spins in mid-air and she braces herself for impact.

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Maki’s eyes widen. She shoots a look at Rantaro who tries to discourage her from something. Before she can move, he grabs her arm with a firmness she clearly wasn’t expecting. You can’t hear what he’s saying for a nauseating migraine has deafened you. Kaito swings his arm under your stomach and stops you from slamming your head into the ground. He lifts you to your feet gently.

“Whoa, are you okay?” he asks.

You mumble something incoherent. As quickly as it came, the migraine disappears again. You’re ready to throw up.

“Dude, are you contagious or something?” Kirumi asks someone. You presume it’s Shuichi. It’s only confirmed when the next sound that follows is uncontrollable stuttering.

_ Did... did no-one else feel that? _

“Right, let’s get this class trial underway!” Monokuma announces.

You’re brought back into reality. Once again, the class trial has begun. Gonta Gokuhara, the Ultimate Martial Artist, was one of the kindest people in the school. A gentle soul in a giant body. Given his poor sight, he may have never seen his killer coming.

...His killer? Do you still believe that? Well, you must believe that. It’s happened once before, it’s happened again. Though it hurts, you have to face the truth. Someone in this class is responsible for the murder of Gonta Gokuhara... and now they have to be brought to justice.

...

_ That’s what I’m going with? _

  
  


**Truth Bullets**

\--> _ Monokuma File 2 _

_ The victim’s body was discovered in the pool at 8:40AM. _

_ The victim’s body has been scarred by venomous stingers and electric shocks. _

\--> _ Tile Pieces _

_ Pieces of tile were found near the pool. They don’t match anything in the room but they match with the walls in Kaito’s lab. _

\-->_ Fish In Pool _

_ Gonta’s body was found in the pool with seemingly random dangerous fish with him. There’s a box jellyfish, some eels and a blowfish. _

\--> _Wet Gloves_

_ A pair of soaked gloves were found in the pool. According to Shuichi, the fabric suggests that they may be gloves designed to prevent jellyfish stings. _

\--> _Black Fabric_

_ Found attached to one of the box jellyfish’s tentacles. According to Shuichi, it’s soft and very finely made. He also commented that it was expensive. _

\--> _ Shuichi’s Panic Attack _

_ While Tenko was walking to the cafeteria, Angie was seen outside of the dorms. During Shuichi’s panic attack, Maki picked up Shuichi and then dropped him in the cafeteria. Kaede and Kibou walked in and helped to calm Shuichi down. Only Tenko, Kirumi, Himiko, and Shuichi stayed in the cafeteria before the body discovery announcement. _

\--> _ Kibou’s Autopsy _

_ According to Kibou, there’s a large area of bumpy and red skin on the victim’s back that is most likely caused by the jellyfish. The lymph nodes have swollen which usually happens either if the area is infected or there is a tumor. He cannot tell what killed Gonta nor the time of death. _

\--> _ Gonta’s Fingers _

_ Gonta’s fingers were pruned and wrinkled, he can’t have been in the pool for any shorter than five minutes. _

\--> Kibou’s Account

_ Last night, while Kibou was searching for clues, he ran into Angie and was told to stay away from the third floor. He swore that he could sense that someone was watching him. He claims to have gone straight to bed after his encounter with Angie. _

\--> _Kibou’s Lab Secret_

_ Kaede, Ryoma and Angie were the only people who knew about Kibou’s lab and had tried to keep it a secret from everyone else which included Angie scaring off Kibou last night. Currently, only Kaede, Ryoma, Angie, Kiyo and Rantaro know about the lab. _

\--> _ Photographs _

_ Photos the cameras took. They show Angie and Gonta together, then Gonta leaving, then Angie and Kibou together during the course of last night. There is one picture that is blurry and impossible to make out. The others are from this morning with Kaede, Rantaro and Korekiyo entering and exiting Kibou’s lab before the body discovery announcement. _

\-->_ Puddles _

_ The puddles in the aquarium room of Kaito’s lab aren’t too recent and the puddles in the shower room are also too dry to have formed before the morning announcement. They most likely formed from between 5:00AM-6:00AM. _

\--> _ Busted Window Frame _

_ The window frame that connects the pool to Kaito’s lab is dented and the walls are cracked. Something must have hit it pretty hard to cause the damage. _

\--> _ Rantaro’s Account _

_ Rantaro claims that he went straight to bed last night and slept through the morning announcement. He woke up 20 minutes later and ran into Korekiyo and the two of them went upstairs to explore the school right before the body discovery announcement rang. _

  
**Class trial: In session**

Arbitrarily, Monokuma re-explains the rules of the class trial. Once he’s done, an unsteady silence sweeps over the class. You prepare yourself to start the discussion again. Kirumi beats you to that.

“Well, I dunno about you guys but I’m thinkin’ Kaito’s the most suspicious.”

Kaito clenches his jaw. “Wha- seriously?”

“Uh, yeah! C’mon, all of the signs point to him.” She starts to count on her fingers, “He was killed in the pool, your lab is next to the pool, your lab has a shit ton of fish in there, and you’ve got big arms. What else is there to say?”

“Everyone has access to my lab _ and _ the pool! You can’t seriously be trying to pin this all on me!”

Shuichi leans over his podium, looking past Kaito, to address his friend. “K-Kirumi... aren’t you f-friends with him? Wh-why are you...?”

“Look, all of us are brimming with anger and shit. Those of us who aren’t makin’ stuff are breakin’ stuff, take it from a gal who does both. It’s just my gut and if my gut is suspicious then the rest of me is suspicious.”

“What a strange argument to be made in a courtroom,” Kiyo says.

You sigh, “We can’t just use our guts to start the discuss--”

“The killer had to have been Tsumugi!”

“...Huh?” Tsumugi blinks stupidly at Kaito’s statement. 

“Well, Tsumugi lured someone in last time, it could have worked again!” He points at her, “She must’ve used Angie’s voice to lure him in and kill him!”

The accused stares blankly. She grins. Then snickers. And then laughs uproariously.

“Ahahaha! Oh my God. You are _ so _ predictable! I knew you were going to say that, I just knew it!”

“See? She’s crazy, of course she did it!”

Tsumugi slams her fist into the podium and wheezes. This isn’t the same laughter as before. It’s more out of humour than of maliciousness. _ Does she think being accused of murder is funny? What is her problem? _

“Kaito,” you sigh, “as much as I would like to agree with you, I don’t think Tsumugi is the killer.”

He looks at you as if you had gone mad. “Of course she is. She’s done it before.”

“I don’t doubt that she’s _ capable _ of it. I doubt that she was the killer for this case.” You shake your head. “We’re not going to get anywhere if we keep pointing at each other without any real proof. Let’s try and work through this together as a unit. Then will we reach the truth.”

“I propose that we do deep breathing before we formally begin,” Tenko adds.

Before Kirumi can object or whine, the rest of the circle talks over her in agreement. She stomps her foot and groans.

After a pause, you spread your legs so they’re shoulder-width apart and loosen your body. You close your eyes. Tenko leads the exercise by counting out loud. As air flows into your lungs, your head becomes clearer. Your senses come alive. Angie is quietly praying. Something is dripping in the distance. It smells like cleaning products. Air is flowing from somewhere. Your heart beats steadily. It’s okay. Everything is okay.

You open your eyes and look around. The class is less tense, just like it should be.

“Alright,” you begin with a relaxed voice, “let’s think of what to discuss first.”

Kiyo raises their hand. “If I may be so bold to suggest a first topic, it would make the most sense to discuss _ how _Gonta passed.”

“Agreed,” Rantaro nods.

_ How Gonta died? That may be a little difficult if Kibou couldn’t figure it out. Still, we should try. _

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Monokuma File 2 _

> _ Wet Gloves _

> _ Rantaro’s Account _

“There weren’t any weapons at the crime scene,” Ryoma says.

“How Gonta was killed...” Maki mutters, “could it have been an electric shock from the eel? Or any of the other fish?”

“Guys, isn’t it obvious? He was in the pool. _ The only thing it could be is drowning _,” Kaito hammers his point with his fist, “he was probably held under the water and then once he drowned, his body was pushed in!”

“That does appear to make sense,” Rantaro says.

\-->_ Monokuma File 2 _

**Counter!**

“Wait, we can’t rule out every possibility like that. The Monokuma file doesn’t say he drowned, only that he was found in the pool. Plus...”

\--> _ Fish In Pool _

“That doesn’t answer why there were fish in the pool! Shouldn’t we be investigating that before jumping to conclusions?”  
“We have too much evidence for the answer to be that easy to come to, the case would be over way too soon!” Tsumugi adds. She snickers to herself, “Ah, I still remember the hours spent in that little courtroom. I wish the desk was bigger so I could slam my hands on it.”

“But if it’s not drowning, what else could it have been?” asks Himiko.

"How about we ask the person who has supplied a convenient theory for us?" says Rantaro.

Kirumi glares at Kaito, “That description was pretty damn detailed. You got something you wanna admit?”

“What? You think I did it?”

“Come on, you’re obviously the most suspicious person here. You loved the pool, probably knew it inside and out. Your lab was the closest to the crime scene, you could’ve taken on Gonta with those big-ass arms. You alerted everyone else to the scene so we couldn’t suspect you. I’ve got you on-fucking-lock.”

You frown, “Kirumi--”

“No, listen, I know exactly what’s going on. I can prove it.”

“Let her talk, we need to be thorough,” Rantaro agrees.

_ What is she doing? Are we seriously back to accusing each other again? _

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Tile Pieces _

> _ Shuichi’s Panic Attack _

> _ Kibou’s Autopsy _

> _ Gonta’s Fingers _

Kirumi’s podium moves to the center. “Here’s what happened so listen up. Kaito woke up, lured Gonta to the pool and then dunked his head under the water,_ drowning the fuck out of him! _”

“What proof do you have for this claim?” Kiyo asks.

“I already explained all that shit. Kaito knows the whole area. He made sure no-one saw him, killed him, then immediately ran to the dining hall so the body discovery alarm would play. _ He died just before we all saw him _!”

“That’s ridiculous!” Kaito objects, “I couldn’t kill him even if I wanted to! I could never kill Gonta!”

\--> _ Gonta’s Fingers _

**Counter!**

“No, that’s not possible!”

Kirumi folds her arms. “You got any proof?” 

“Gonta could not have been in the pool for any shorter than five minutes, his fingers wouldn’t have enough time to prune! They were too wrinkly for Kaito to have killed him and then drawn attention that quickly.”

“Plus, Angie and I watched him go in and then come back out again,” Maki confirms, “he wasn’t even in for five minutes, more like twenty seconds.”

Kirumi’s podium slides back into place. She turns her head away in defeat without admitting it herself. She continues to shoot looks at Kaito.

“If we could get back on track, we wouldn’t have to continue accusing each other.” Kibou leads the way. “Let’s discuss how Gonta may have ended up in the pool, that may clear up any misconceptions we have.”

“That makes sense. Much better than random accusations,” Ryoma agrees.

_ They’re right, we should clear up everything before we look for alibis. _

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _Black fabric_

> _ Tile Pieces _

> _ Monokuma File 2 _

> _ Kibou’s Account _

“Can anyone think of the place where Gonta was murdered?” Kibou asks.

“He could have easily been _ dragged from the gymnasium, _” Tenko speculates.

“But the rules forbid entering the pool at nighttime,” Rantaro corrects.

Himiko groans, “What if, like, _ he just fell into it _ or something?”

“Fell from where?” Tenko asks.

“I dunno. He could’ve jumped and broken through the ceiling.”

“Wha-! Green colour scheme, jumping super high _ and _ buff?! How did I not see that coming? Next you’ll say that _ Maki’s a billionaire! _” Tsumugi adds, uselessly.

“What makes you think he was killed somewhere else?” Maki asks, “He was found in the pool, he probably died in the pool. I don’t think any of us were strong enough to even carry him, not unless they had a forklift.”

Tsumugi bounces on her toes. “Still holding out for that billionaire plot twist.”

\--> _ Tile Pieces _

**Consent!**

“Himiko, I agree with you! I think Gonta did fall into the pool.”

“Eh? Really? I was just saying stuff but okay.”

You take out the tile pieces once again. You hold them up for the class to see. You then pass one to Himiko on your left. They study it between their small hands.

“These tile pieces were on the floor next to the pool. I thought they looked out of place since they don’t match the rest of the room’s tiles so I took them with me while investigating.” You nervously watch Himiko reach over Kokichi’s podium to give it to Tenko. “Tsumugi and I investigated Kaito’s Ultimate lab and the tiles looked exactly the same.”

Tsumugi asks to see the pieces herself. You really have to stretch to reach Rantaro and hand him another piece. Everyone takes turns observing the pieces as if this were a school classroom during show-and-tell. It’s fascinating to watch them all with intent stares, analysing the sight and feeling of the pieces. What must be running through their heads as their fingers feel around for texture and their eyes create the image in their minds. Tsumugi spends the most time on her piece before handing it over to Kiyo. 

“She’s right, it’s just like Kaito’s lab,” she confirms.

“The bathroom had a window that led to the pool and the frame was dented and the wall surrounding it had cracks. The pieces matched the broken off wall in both design and texture!”

Maki takes something out of her front pocket. She flinches and pats her chest, feeling for something.

“Could have sworn that...” she shakes her head and takes out a pair of glasses. “Nevermind.” 

She slips the glasses onto her face. Both sides have a set of flashlights and microscopes, the lenses getting progressively smaller the further away from her face. She holds the tile piece out in front of her and flicks the microscopes down until she can see what she wants to see. Her eyes look huge. So real, so red, so radiant.

“Fine, I guess. What I don’t get is why these would be at the pool and not in the lab. If he fell out of the window from the inside, why did the pieces appear on the outside?”

For that, you don’t have an answer.

Thankfully, Kibou speculates. “It’s possible that the pieces fell onto Gonta’s back or got stuck in his hair momentarily before he fell, pushing the pieces outside of the window.”

Maki shrugs and passes the piece along, “Whatever.”

Kaito ends up with one piece and Kirumi with the other. You’re about to ask for it to be passed back around when Kirumi gives you a grin.

“Hey, catch!”

You flinch. She waits for you to hold your hands out before underarm throwing it to you. By some minor miracle, you catch it in your palms. She jumps in place and whoops with glee. Kaito, for some reason thinking that this is still a good idea, looks you directly in the eyes and motions with his piece.

“This is both ridiculous and unsafe.” Tenko rolls her eyes.

He tosses it to you. You catch it. Then fumble. Then catch it again. Kirumi laughs and shouts praises from the other side of the courtroom. Tenko chastises her and you brace yourself for another argument.

“An influx of positive emotions will ultimately leave you an ugly person if you cannot learn to control yourself.”

Kirumi folds her arms. “What? You against being happy? Is that what it is?”

“I am not _ against _ being happy, I am warning you that needless hollering does not cleanse the soul. You will need to calm down quickly after your emotional outbursts.”

“Quit treating happiness like an antique. It doesn’t break if you use it too much and you shouldn’t have to hide it anywhere.” She leans on one leg. “Fuck, it would probably make more sense to say emotions are like a sponge; You take it in and try to store it for as long as possible but you gotta squeeze it out to let something else in. Keep soaking in as much as you want, sis. You decide when you wanna let it out sometime.”

Tenko doesn’t have anything to say to that. She’s dumbfounded but you can’t read why. Is this a revelation or a _ That was so stupid, I don’t even know what to say _moment? Where did she dish out those metaphors from? Is this how she writes her music? You suppose it would make sense but... you never expected that kind of writing from her. More swearing and screaming, probably. Himiko takes out their sketchbook and begins to draw something. This is now going beyond awkward. Someone needs to speak up.

“Um...” you say. There are now eyes on you. _ What would be a good topic? _

“So we are all in agreement? Gonta fell out of the window from Kaito’s lab?” says Kiyo. 

“I mean, it’d be stupid to say it wasn’t after the evidence,” Kaito shrugs. He then gives you a smile. “Great work, Kaede! You’re doing great!”

“Ah... thanks?”

“Since we have already discussed the _ where _ , I suppose the next topic of discussion is the _ how _,” Rantaro suggests.

“Nyeh? Didn’t we just answer that? I thought the fall did it.” Himiko asks, still drawing.

“Gonta’s a big guy, I don’t think the fall could’ve killed him,” says Kaito.

“So what do you think it was?” Maki asks, _ gently _ interrogating him.

“I dunno. Could’ve been the blowfish or something.”

Kiyo fiddles with their bandages. “I find your conviction lacking but I do see your point. It is worth questioning which aquatic creature from the pool could have been used.”

“Hold on, does size seriously matter when it comes to falling? I mean, a spine’s a spine, isn’t it?” Kirumi puts her fists to her waist.

“If Gonta was 94 kilograms then the maximum damage from falling 10 feet would be 20 d6!” Tsumugi cheers.

“Shut up, no-one cares,” Himiko groans.

“I don’t know since I have not come across that particular issue in my field work but I hypothesise that Gonta’s muscles would be proportionate to his bones which would make it difficult to die from falling alone,” Kibou says with little confidence.

“I have to agree,” Kiyo nods.

“B-but it was a big f-fall... are you s-sure it w-wasn’t that?”

“Come on. Gonta? That height? There’s no way that’s what got him. Right?” Kaito looks over as if you’ve got any clue.

“Uh...”

“Oh! God is speaking to me! Be quiet so I may listen.” Angie closes their eyes and clasps their hands together. Everyone stays quiet, save for Kirumi who groans obnoxiously. After a few seconds of nodding and humming, they take a deep breath and separate their hands again yet their eyes remain shut. “There is still the possibility of drowning. Yes, He has enlightened the discussion once again!”

Maki sighs, “Great, now we’ve got three different ways Gonta was killed. That really narrows it down. God, you’re so stupid.”

“Say His or my name in vain again and He may come down in a bolt of lightning and force the blood out of your body Himself.”

“Huh, that sounds like a movie I’ve watched before. Wasn’t an anime though,” Tsumugi comments.

Angie sharply turns their head and stares at her with wide eyes.

“Ah, sorry. My hobbies slipped again. I’ll keep quiet for now.”

“Well, which is it?” Ryoma asks.

“We should discuss each possibility in detail until we come to the truth,” says Rantaro.

_ Jeez, we’re going to be stuck on this point forever. I have to swing this back to a relevant topic soon or voting time will come before we’ve solved this. _

_ **NonStop Debate** _

> _ Kibou’s Autopsy _

> _ Black Fabric _

> _ Shuichi’s Panic Attack _

> _ Rantaro’s Account _

> _ Busted Window Frame _

“If Gonta fell out of the window and the impact of the fall didn’t kill him,” Tenko begins, “what if he had hit his head and drowned?”

“There didn’t appear to be any blood on the scene though. Plus, Kibou would have already mentioned it by now,” Rantaro counters.

Kiyo folds their arms. “Then perhaps we should analyse the evidence we did find. Namely, the fish. From what I remember, there was an eel, _ a box jellyfish _, and a blowfish in the pool along with Gonta. Could one of those be the weapon?”

“I’m surprised that you don’t find this line of reasoning remarkable. What sort of person inconveniences themselves enough to use fish as a weapon?”

“I still think the fall would’ve snapped his spine right in half,” Kirumi says, making a breaking gesture with her hands.

“If he had landed on the edge of the pool, that does add on to that possibility.”

Kaito shakes his head. “Nah, I don’t think that would’ve bruised him. Big men like Gonta don’t get damaged from just a little fall.” 

“I would hardly call that _ “just a little fall,” _ you degenerate,” Tenko snides.

“Whoa, that was uncharacteristically rude!” Tsumugi then giggles, “You sure Kirumi isn’t uh... _ rubbing off on you? _”

“Compare us again and I’ll stomp on your throat with my 10 cm heels!”

\--> _ Kibou’s Autopsy/ --> _ _ Confirmed Cause Of Death _

**Perjury**

“Guys, Kiyo is right! The cause of death was the box jellyfish.”

“Do you have a means to prove that?” Rantaro asks.

“I do.” You turn to Kibou who is now looking at you funny. “We investigated the corpse and you said that his symptoms all correlate with the box jellyfish, right?”

“...I did say that he had axillary lymphadenitis.” He nervously taps his fingers together.

Tenko tilts her head. “Could you transla--”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Kirumi interrupts. Tenko huffs.

“The jellyfish’s tentacles reached Gonta’s armpit area and caused noticeable swelling. It’s quite painful and sometimes occurs because of cancer or an infection.” He bites his lip, “But...”

“Then the jellyfish sting _ has _ to be the cause of death. Nothing else could have caused that strong of a reaction. Plus, it was stuck to him while he was in the pool,” you say, praying that nobody questions this. And for a moment, nobody does. For a moment, the tension leaves your body.

“I never heard those words escape Kibou’s mouth. Can you really confirm that the jellyfish was the cause of death?” Rantaro stares with intense eyes. You start to sweat.

You hear Kibou gulp. He shifts his eyes around the room without turning his head. Tapping his fingers some more, he finally stutters a response. “I-I um... well, I mean...” He shuts his eyes and clamps his teeth on his bottom lip. “Y-yes.”

“Yes?”

He pumps his fists. “Y-yes, Kaede is right! I did say it was the jellyfish.”

You want to think that his words confirm everything but the way he waited to say that and your friendship does make it seem more suspicious than you would like. Is anyone going to fall for this? The silence is speaking volumes. Oh God, this could have cost you everything.

“If that’s what Kibou says, I believe him,” says Kaito with the confidence you wish you had right now.

“I-I believe h-him too!” Shuichi adds.

Kirumi folds her arms. “No way, you don’t seriously think that _ wasn’t _ the most suspicious sounding thing ever?”

“Your voice is awfully shaky, Kibou,” Maki sends an icy glare his way.

“I agree. If that were true, he should have said so earlier rather than waiting for Kaede to say it first,” Rantaro says.

“God calls Kaede a liar!” Angie inappropriately cheers.

“Your God doesn’t know what He’s saying! Kaede wouldn’t lie to us and just let us die!” Tsumugi shouts. You have mixed feelings about this.

Himiko looks up from his book. “I wasn’t really listening but questioning this will probably make this go on for longer and I’m not done with this sketch yet.”

“Yes, thank you for your contribution,” Maki rolls her eyes.

“I don’t see any reason not to believe the words of a soldier,” Ryoma adds.

“Kibou was acting suspicious and that amount of hesitating from a male either means he was thinking about dirty things or he was lying,” Tenko accuses.

Kiyo shakes their head. “How irritating. Our indecisiveness will not lead us anywhere productive.”

“Hold up!” Monokuma calls from his throne. “Indecisive, you say? Like your opinions were _ split _?”

“Nobody said split. Can we not do this again?” Himiko groans.

“Nope! Hold onto your butts because it’s time to reintroduce the scrum debate!”

The Monokubs bounce to the cue. “The Ultimate Academy is proud to present its very own morphenomenal trial grounds!”

Angie whoops and bounces with them.

**Split Opinion**

Once again, the podium shakes and rises into the air to form two lines for debate.  
  


**What killed Gonta?**

** It was the fall** **It was the jellyfish**

_ Angie: _

“The class already _ confirmed _ that he died from the fall!”

_ Ryoma: _

“We didn’t say we confirmed anything. We only

said that he fell.”

_ Himiko: _

“It’s just a tiny blob. That _ thing _couldn’t have killed Gonta.”

_ Kaito: _

“That _ thing _ is the most toxic creature on the planet!”

_ Rantaro: _

“We only have _ Kibou’s words _ to go on. How are we supposed to believe that?”

_ Tsumugi: _

“We don’t just have Kibou’s words cuz Kaede backed 

him up!”

_ Maki: _

“Kibou only mentioned this because of Kaede. She must be _ lying _ for him.”

_ Kaede: _

“I was only repeating what he said to me and he 

testified, I wasn’t lying.”

  
  


_ Tenko: _

“Kibou should have mentioned his autopsy _ earlier _.”

_ Shuichi: _

“N-not saying things earlier doesn’t m-mean

it’s n-not valid.”

_ Kiyo: _

“But how can we _ trust _ that the two aren’t working together?”

_ Kaede: _

“We can’t decide what to trust until we move on

from this point!”

**It was the jellyfish <----------------------------------------**

**Full Counter**

You point to Kibou. “Kibou has testified for us in the past. He performed Kokichi’s autopsy and led us closer to the truth. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him. Why are we not trusting what he says now?”

“Kaede--!”

“All I’ve done is repeat what he told me. We can check the body again and you’ll see exactly what he described. Based on the evidence I’ve gathered, the jellyfish is the most likely cause of death.”

Angie tilts their head. “What did the Monokuma file say?”

“Um... not a whole lot. You’re welcome to read it if you’d like but it doesn’t say anything we don’t already know.” You retrieve the file and lean over to pass it to Rantaro who passes it around.

“_ The victim was scarred by venomous stingers, _” Angie reads aloud. 

“That’s it?” Kirumi throws her arms. “Jeez, that’s less than the last one.”

“The fact that it emphasised the jellyfish probably means something though,” Kibou adds.

“So the rest of the fish don’t mean anything? Were they just meant to throw us off?” Maki asks.

“I don’t see any other evidence to suggest anything other than the jellyfish. The cause of death was most likely cardiovascular collapse.”

Kirumi looks up. “Wait, how can we be sure that the jellyfish isn’t in on it too? What if he drowned and it was thrown onto him later?”

It couldn’t have been thrown on later because...

“Try to remember what Gonta’s body looked like before it was turned over,” you say, “the jellyfish was on his front but he was also face down in the pool. Either Gonta fell on his back and the killer planted the jellyfish and then turned him over, or he fell on his front and the killer turned him over to plant the jellyfish and then flipped him back again.” 

“It would be too convoluted to be planted,” Kiyo contends.

“Maybe that’s the point,” Himiko mumbles.

“Pardon?”

She finally closes the sketchbook. “I mean, how complicated is it compared to luring someone in with impressions, knocking them out, stabbing them with a javelin, carrying them to the library on a gym mat and stuffing them into a moving bookcase? What if it was stupidly complicated to stop us from thinking it could happen?”

No-one has anything to say to that. It’s so stupid that people are actually considering it. Somehow, Tenko is the first one to say something about it.

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Yeah, no. That’s super weird,” Kirumi agrees.

“B-but d-didn’t Tsumugi flip a sh-shirt last time just to trick us?” Shuichi says, picking at his nails again.

The accused shrugs, “It wasn’t the most complex trick in the world. Are we really back to me already?”

“We’re back to the concept of drowning and using overly convoluted techniques to hide the cause of death,” says Rantaro, folding his arms.

“Oh? How interesting!” Despite her words, she slumps her shoulders and looks off distantly. “Too bad, we’ve been spending so long on the cause of death, we may never finish the rest of the trial. Is it really up to me to finish this pointless argument?”

“What about this is pointless?” you ask.

She pushes her glasses up her face. “You noticed it too, didn’t you? Why did the body look so strange? Why did the body fall the way it did?”

_ Hold on, I think I know where she’s leading us. _

“Do you know anything about drowning?”

“Huh? What kinda question is that?” Kirumi says with disgust.

Tsumugi, however, is delighted. She rocks on her heels. “Weeelllllll, according to what I read, it actually takes days for the lungs to fill up with enough water to make the body float to the surface, much less, when the body is face down. The first step to filling the lungs with water is to let the air escape so if Gonta died by drowning, there should be no reason for him to still be floating. So, in a way, it is a little weird that Gonta was floating when we found him and I’m so glad you noticed too! You’re so smart to notice that! Must be because of your writing skills and your intuition. How wonderful, just like I had hoped!”

It takes a moment to let that sink in. In a way, your lie did eventually lead to the truth but it took so long to get there, you almost wonder if it was worth it. Maybe you’ll have to reconsider your strategy next time. _ Next time? _

Maki grits her teeth. “Are you serious? We just spent that long arguing about something that could have been discarded just like that?” 

“N-now, I get that you’re a little angry but let’s not despair over lost time! This will only lead to a greater hope in the end. Maybe you’ll notice why you spent so long on that argument!”

“You... you bitch,” Kirumi growls.

“So Gonta died from the box jellyfish. That’s one mystery solved, let’s solve the next!” Angie claps excitedly. “We’re doing so well! We have a cause of death, let’s do more! How about a time too?”

_ How are they so joyous about this? _ Although, they do have a good point. It is about time to move onto the time of death. You’re still questioning how you managed to talk about the jellyfish for that long. You shake your head. Time is not on your side today. The next topic should be time. You wonder what theories everyone else has.

“Well, if nobody is going to begin then it is up to the prophet to start us off! What happened between last night and this morning?”

“A-all of it?” Shuichi chews his nails.

“I think a better question would be ‘Who was the last person with Gonta?’” Maki glares at Angie. 

“That is not a helpful response, Maki. Is there a reason for you to throw passive aggressive accusations beyond finding the truth? Is there something you are hiding, friend?”

Maki goes quiet. This isn’t going anywhere. You need to step up now. You clear your throat.

“I agree, it would be good to go over what happened last night and this morning.”

_ **NonStop Debate** _

> _ Rantaro’s Account _

> _ Black Fabric _

> _ Kibou’s Lab Secret _

> _ Gonta’s Fingers _

> _ Shuichi’s Panic Attack _

“Let’s go over everything from last night, starting with the training programme,” Kibou says. 

“We were all kidnapped by Gonta for Angie’s Happiness Training Programme,” Rantaro explains.

“Save four of us. Maki, Kibou, Kirumi and I were able to escape him,” Tenko corrects.

Kirumi rolls her eyes, “Yeah, only after I had to carry you out of the bathroom. Goddamn, you’ve got a tight grip.”

Tenko sputters and you can see her cheeks glowing. “Y-you carried me like a man would his wife! A-and I could not bear to stain my kimono more than you already had.”

“Wow, I really feel like I’ve just become privy to something I shouldn’t know about,” Tsumugi then clasps her hands together and grins, “and I love it.”

Ryoma ignores her completely and continues, “The rest of us were forced to train until Kaede came up with a plan to rescue everyone.”

“That plan didn’t end up happening since Tsumugi screwed it up. Afterwards, _ we all went to bed _ _ , _ ” Maki says. 

“Angie was the last person to be seen with Gonta and thus, the most suspicious,” Rantaro concludes.

_ Oh God, there’s a contradiction but revealing it would cost me everything. My reputation, my leadership, any respect I had left... is it worth it? _

Moving towards the truth? Of course it’s worth it.

\--> _ Kibou’s Lab Secret _

**Counter!**

“Guys... before I reveal the next piece of evidence, I have a confession to make.”

Concerned eyes draw your way, Ryoma and Angie’s included.

“What is it?” Kibou asks. Had he not looked at you with those big eyes, this probably would’ve been easier. Alas, you’re going to have to betray your more supportive friend. It’s a lot of pressure, you’re not sure how you can do this.

“There’s... on the third floor there’s...”

“I found Kibou’s Ultimate lab on the third floor of the school,” says Ryoma.

His interruption catches you off guard, so much so that the rest of the class’ reaction slips your mind. _ Why would he lie for me? Why is he taking the brute of this? _

“I wanted to stay quiet but seeing as it’s being brought up, there’s no use hiding it. It’s filled with any weapon you can imagine which is fitting for an Ultimate Soldier. I kept it a secret from everyone except for Kaede. We wanted to protect us all even if it meant lying. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier.”

“Ryoma...”

“Is this true?” Kibou asks, his voice weak. “Do I really have my own lab?”

Ryoma nods. Kibou looks distantly for a moment. There’s fear in his face and something indescribably sad in his eyes. You don’t think you can read minds but judging from his trembling lips and the way he’s burying himself in his own hands, you imagine he’s blaming himself for this. If only you were tall and athletic enough to leap the podium and comfort him.

Angie regards you both with narrow eyes. Then they smile and raise their arms over their head. “How delightful! In God’s presence, your confessions will set you free. Tell God your secrets and He will forgive, no matter how great the sin. He shines his eternal blessing onto you.”

You can’t help but worry that they’re stepping out of confessing that they also knew. Then again, you kind of ratted them out to Rantaro and Kiyo. You’re not sure if they’re going to say anything on that.

“What does this have to do with this case?” Maki asks impatiently.

After regaining your thoughts, you continue with the evidence. “The reason I bring this up is because I set cameras outside of the lab. Those cameras were triggered by motion and the camera inside of the lab set off an alarm on my receiver.”

“So not only did you lie about what the cameras were for _ twice _, you used them against us so we wouldn’t learn about Kibou’s lab,” Maki seethes.

“Doesn’t sound like a whole lotta trust coming from you,” Kirumi adds,

“I--”

“Hey, didn’t I say that _ I _ found it first?” Ryoma steps in again, “Seriously, it’s uncool to blame her for this. It was my fault and she wasn’t to blame. I... was the one who suggested the cameras.”

_ Why is he doing this? I owe him my life right now. _

Kaito rests his hands on his hips. “Who cares?”

“Huh?” you hum.

“Who cares who knew and who didn’t? You guys had your secret for a reason and that reason was to protect us. Come on, quit givin’ them hell for trying to help us out.”

Tsumugi tilts her head. “Are you an _ end justifies the means _ kinda guy? Cuz I didn’t expect that out of you of all people.”

“Look, the intentions were good. We’re not gonna get anywhere if we pick on Kaede. Listen to what she has to say, then we’ll talk about this later.”

_ God, that’s two people I owe my life to. _ A couple of seconds pass. Kaito gives you an encouraging look. He gestures to you that _ the floor is yours. _ You sigh and prepare to continue.

“Not everyone immediately went back into their rooms. Angie and Gonta were still out for a while after we went to bed. But that also includes Kibou.”

Kibou looks away.

“Once again, Kibou is the most suspicious!” Angie exclaims.

“No he’s not. If anyone is suspicious, it’s definitely you. Not only were you with Gonta before he died, you were also mad at him,” Maki counters.

Angie blinks innocently. “Mad? Oh, you silly girl. It is not the prophet’s job to be mad, God will decide when they are mad. God was not angry at Gonta because Gonta did nothing wrong. Gonta confessed his doubts and worries and we smiled at him! Were you not paying attention?”

“The point still stands.”

“On skinny legs, perhaps. Do you seriously believe I am strong enough to have harmed Gonta? God’s strength is not given to those who do harm, only to those who do good. Kibou is the most suspicious.”

Kibou does not retaliate.

“Hey, quit picking on him! Didn’t Kaede tell you? He’s saved our asses more than once,” Kaito defends.

“How strange. In the beginning, you were the most suspicious and now you are choosing to defend the currently most suspicious person,” Kiyo comments. “It is admirable at best and completely idiotic at worst.”

“The way a hero _ should _ act,” Tsumugi sighs.

“Don’t call it idiotic! I’m believing in Kibou because Kaede does too! If she believes, I believe.”

Tsumugi giggles to herself. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Our lovely hero is filled with such hope! But in order for it to flourish, you will need to overcome despair.” She turns cold and pushes her glasses up her face, reminiscent of an anime villain. “Allow me to embody that despair for you.”

“So much noise. It only makes sense that a male would be able to push Gonta out of the window,” Tenko says.

“Angie is the most suspicious, there’s no denying it.”

“God does not serve those who kill, as obvious by Kibou’s talent. Kibou is the most suspicious!”

“Kibou is not the culprit! I refuse to believe it!”

“And I will strike you down in the name of hope.”

“The only people strong enough to have pushed Gonta are all of the men. I propose we order them from strongest to weakest and go from there.”

“You’re so full of shit! You can’t just divide people based on something that stupid!”

**“Angie is the culprit.”**

**“Kibou is not the culprit!”**

**“The men have to be the culprits.”**

_ ...This is going to be a long trial. _

** _Mass Panic Debate_ **

> _ Kibou’s Account _

>_ Busted Window Frame _

> _ Wet Gloves _

> _ Black Fabric _

You were out with Gonta last night/We’ve had this exact same argument before/First, I will look at the weakest.

And Kibou wasn’t the killer then either!/Which would be _ Ryoma and Shuichi _/You could have manipulated him to do anything you wanted

What kinda fucked up system are you using for that?/And the photographs are proof enough/But there’s no body discovery announcement rule to save him now.

I could not have killed him because I am too tiny/Do you have any proper evidence for your claims?/From there, the most suspicious should be clear.

**I don’t need any evidence, I believe in him and that’s that!** /Rantaro, Kibou, Kaito, Kiyo--/Bullshit, you could’ve pushed him _ without any struggle _.

I must inform you that I am not a male. Your argument is prejudiced and overly flawed/I will pray for your reawakening as a much wiser person/...how disappointing.

\--> _ Busted Window Frame _

**Counter!**

“Maki, listen for a second. You didn’t explore the lab where Gonta was _ forcibly shoved _ out of the window. There were cracks in the wall and the window frame was dented and ruined.”

Maki scoffs, “Whatever. Even if he was shoved out of the window, they could’ve done it while he was knocked out or something.”

Angie tilts their head. “You are suggesting that a small programmer - 157 cm tall and weighing 41 kg - incapacitated and then picked up the gigantic Gonta to push out of a window? On their own? With no help?”

“Did you memorise your own stats?” Tsumugi gasps.

“What are you suggesting I could have knocked Gonta out with? A shot put ball?”

“We just said that there were no weapons at the scene and that Kibou said there was no head injury,” Ryoma sighs.

Rantaro isn’t convinced. “For all we know, Kibou may have lied about that too. And the only people who investigated Kaito’s lab were Kaede and Tsumugi who I am not inclined to believe.”

_ Rantaro... why do you doubt me so much? This is going beyond wanting to believe, he seriously doesn’t trust me at all. _

“Dude, what is your problem? Kaede is only trying to help us! She’s been doing that since the goddamn beginning!” Kaito pumps his fist, “So quit trying to drag her down, just let her do her job!”

“Out of fear for repeating an earlier argument, I propose we discuss the series of events for this crime,” Kiyo intervenes. 

“Yeah, I would’ve thought this would be done at least thirty minutes ago,” Himiko adds, yawning afterwards.

_ Alright, we can’t keep getting sidetracked like this. Focus. _

_ **NonStop Debate** _

> _ Kibou’s Account _

> _Shuichi's Panic Attack_

> _Gonta's Fingers_

> _Puddles_

Korekiyo starts the discussion. “After the training programme, the majority of us went back to our dorms; however, Gonta, Angie and Kibou stayed in the school building.”

“That does limit our options significantly,” says Tenko.

“Gonta must’ve been lured to Kaito’s lab, had some fight in the change room and then BAM!” Kirumi pounds her fist for emphasis. “Jellyfish comes out and then he’s tossed outta the window!” 

“Would you keep your voice down? It’s unladylike.”

“Whatever, toots. Just adding some flair to the case.”

“After Gonta fell into the pool, some miscellaneous fish from Kaito’s lab were thrown down to confuse us,” Rantaro continues.

“Gonta’s body was then discovered after the morning announcement by Kaito and then the rest of us ran in to see,” Ryoma concludes.

“So it has to be either Angie or Kibou.” Maki turns and glares at the former, “Angie, confess already! You are the most suspicious person here!”

Angie swings from side-to-side. “Oh? Oh? Did you forget? Kibou was the last person to see Gonta because he is the culprit! It is true! I split off with Gonta and then saw Kibou myself and he was just suspiciously wandering around. Kibou explored the school for quite some time, even when I wasn’t watching. _ Kibou must have waited for Gonta to be vulnerable _ and then lured him to his death. It all adds up!”

“Don’t change the subject!”

“Then do not test God.”

\--> _ Kibou’s Account _

**Counter!**

“No, according to Kibou, he could not have had any time to wait for Gonta. All three of you were together at some point and you scared away Kibou to prevent him from finding his lab.” You look over at Kibou who is still fiddling with his gloves over it. You sigh and continue, “But as soon as he walked away, he went straight to the dorms. So Maki is right to be suspicious because--”

“_By God’s power, I will strike you down! _”

_ Argue! _

Angie does not stop smiling even when their voice is thick with rage. “You are believing only based on word-of-mouth? How very unreasonable of you. Your alliance with him does not free him of suspicion and because of that, you will face our wrath!”

**Rebuttal **

**Showdown**

**\- Truth Blade -**

> _Monokuma File 2_

> _Busted Window Frame_

> _ Photographs _

> _Black Fabric_

“If you take into account everything about his character and this case, there is no denying that Kibou is worthy of investigation. There is no proof that he is _ not _ the killer, there is only refusal to find the truth. God values truth above all and your conclusions are leading us astray! One may even call you a witch for such blatant denial of holiness!”

You hold your ground. “You say that but I don’t see you giving proper evidence either.”

That seems to have really pissed them off, causing their grin to widen. “Ahaha! Fine! Let me list everything that points to Kibou being the culprit. Kibou was aware of Gonta’s whereabouts, Kibou has a habit of stalking the school grounds late into the evening, Kibou had reason to be suspicious of the third floor, Kibou is a soldier, Kibou has the means to kill, and finally, Kibou is one of the strongest people here. There, those are all of the reasons and you cannot refute a single one, can you?” Angie raises their arms above their head. “You wanna know what happened? God has told me personally that _ Kibou snuck into his lab _, took out a weapon so he could knock out Gonta, lured him into Kaito’s lab and then committed the crime! If you truly believed, you would believe in God, would you not?”

\--> _ Photographs _

**Counter!**

“No, that’s wrong! He couldn’t have gone into his lab and used something because he was never in his lab. I can prove it with the photographs the cameras took!”

Kiyo, anticipating your next request, takes the photos out of their pocket and flips through them. They pass the photos directly to Angie on your left, their right. Angie snatches them and scans over each one, analysing something.

“Well?” you ask.

“No sign of photoshop or post-editing. That is disappointing, I would have asked if it would be an appropriate prayer room.”

“What’s the verdict? Did Kibou go into his lab?” Rantaro asks, failing at leaning back to see the photos himself.

“It would seem that Angie was incorrect; Kibou had not entered his lab at any point in time.” Kiyo is handed some photos to pass around the circle. “However, through these photos, it can be seen that Angie was the one who had infiltrated the lab without Gonta at their side.”

“What were you doing in Kibou’s lab?” Rantaro interrogates as he evaluates the photos.

Angie lolls their head, “God believes in the unanimous safety of the class. By touching the weapons, I send a signal to God that lets Him decide whether the tool will lead us to prosperity or destruction. Ultimately, God decided that the best course of action would be to dispose of the weapons by any means necessary.”

Kirumi nods and then leans over to Kaito. “See, bitches be cray-zay,” she loudly whispers.

“It should be noted that Gonta was not present for this... evaluation and the last person Angie was seen with was Kibou, as far as these photos tell us,” Kiyo says.

“I say these photos are enough proof for Angie to be the killer,” says Maki.

“Hold on, we haven’t even set a time of death yet,” you counter much to her annoyance.

“In that case, we need to know what time the training program ended,” Tenko says.

“Ooh! I can answer that!” Angie shouts.

“Someone other than one of the main suspects,” Maki growls.

Kiyo speaks up. “I do not have any exact times for when the program ended but I do recall checking the time shortly after I returned to my dorm room. It was roughly 4:30 in the morning.”

“As if my sleep schedule couldn’t get any worse,” Himiko mutters.

“Angie, why’d you make us stay out so late?” Kaito asks.

They dodge the question entirely. “What I’m interested in knowing is how everyone felt before going to bed. Were you all well rested? Did you appreciate the good health from your body? The beautiful place you are all living in?”

“A better question would be “What time did everyone pack it in?” but go off, I guess,” Kirumi says.

_ We could probably get somewhere with these questions. I just need to focus on which ones are the most important. _

_ **NonStop Debate** _

>_ Busted Window Frame_

>_ Puddles_

> _Wet Gloves_

> _Rantaro's Account_

> _ Shuichi’s Panic Attack _

“The training programme ended at around 4:30 AM. That leaves four hours and ten minutes before the discovery announcement and investigation,” Maki starts.

“That’s plenty of time to kill someone,” Kirumi notes.

Tsumugi raises her hand. “Ooh, I can remember the people who went back to their dorms!” Nobody takes her up on that. After receiving a few glares, she lowers her hand again.

“The only people who were out in the school were Angie, Gonta and Kibou. Everyone else went back to bed,” Rantaro continues. “A meeting between Angie and Kibou took place shortly after Gonta was told to leave as seen with the photographs.”

“Angie then investigated Kibou’s lab for a prolonged amount of time, and then probably _went back to bed,_” says Ryoma

Maki folds her arms. “That’s assuming they didn’t make a stop to kill Gonta.”

“Such anger and passion! Why can’t you go back to tinkering with your toys instead of preaching your ill will?” 

\--> _ Shuichi’s Panic Attack _

**Counter!**

“Tenko, didn’t you say that Angie was outside of the dorms when you woke up?”

She nods. “They were passing the dorms and they looked like they hadn’t slept all night.”

“Oh yeah, I remember hearing rustling in the bushes when Shu and I came out. Thought it was fuckin’ creepy as hell,” Kirumi adds.

“Language!”

“Sh-shu?” Shuichi tenses and points to himself.

“Figured it made sense to give ya a nickname. Means less effort on my behalf.”

“Shu...” he picks at his fingers some more.

You steer the conversation again. “Angie, how long were you in Kibou’s lab last night?”

Maki steps in with another question. “How many photos are there of them?”

“There are 13 of the room altogether and nine of them are Angie,” Kiyo answers.

“They were in there for around 20 minutes.”

“How can you be so certain?”

She twirls one of her pigtails around her fingers, “I designed it so that there were 120 second intervals between each photograph so it could keep running without needing to replace the film manually. Take the amount of photos- nine - and equate each photo to the time it took to reload - two minutes - which would give you 18 minutes total. Plus, if Angie had left before the next photo could be taken, that may bump it up to 19 minutes.”

_ There was a two minute interval between each photo? Why didn’t I know about this? Did Kibou forget to tell me? _

You turn to Angie. “What time did you go into the lab?”

“After Gonta and I prayed for God’s blessings at exactly 5:00 - the holiest time for prayers - I sent Gonta back to bed to get his much needed rest. Kibou and I crossed paths shortly after and I watched him go down the stairs at around 5:07.”

“D-did you see where Gonta w-went after you s-sent him off?” Shuichi asks.

“He went down the stairs and then Kibou went up the stairs five minutes later!”

“That would match up with the photos taken under the bench,” Rantaro mutters.

Maki points at Kibou. “Did you see Gonta come down the stairs?”

Kibou doesn’t answer. He hasn’t talked for quite a while, it’s starting to get on your nerves. _ Then again, I would be shocked if I found out my lab was full of weapons. _

“Hey, we’re talking to you, Kibou! Did you see Gonta go down the stairs?” Kaito shouts.

“H-hey, ease up on him. He told me that he didn’t see Gonta all night.”

Kirumi folds her arms, “Well, I find it hard to believe that he was killed, dragged back into Kaito’s lab and pushed out of the window in the time it took for Gonta to leave and Kibou to come up.” 

“What gave you that idea? That’s ridiculous, there’s no way that’s even close to what happened,” Maki says.

“Oh, and I suppose you’ve got a better theory?”

**...**

_ Ugh, this is so draining. _

_ **NonStop Debate** _

> _Shuichi's Panic Attack_

> _ Puddles _

> _Black Fabric_

>_ Fish In Pool_

“So lemme get this straight, the last time anyone saw Gonta was when Angie sent him off at 5:02. If Kaede’s telling the truth and Kibou didn’t see Gonta, how do you explain that?”

“While I agree that it seems a little shady,” you catch Maki darting her eyes around for a moment, “that doesn’t exclude the possibility of Kibou not being the killer.”

“Come on, prove it!”

“If Gonta was last seen by Angie, why not keep using them as a point of reference? Say that Kaede is right, that means the killer’s next opportunity to move upstairs came after Angie went into Kibou’s lab for 20 minutes. That’s plenty of time to lure someone, kill them and push them out of the window.”

“Which is why it makes sense for Kibou to have knocked Gonta out, surveyed the upstairs area, waited for Angie to go inside the lab and then drag Gonta up to his death! No matter which way you look at it, it only makes sense for it to be Kibou!”

Maki clenches her fists, “Are you really that stupid? We’ve already said that there were no other external wounds so Gonta couldn’t have been knocked out. There’s no way that’s what happened.”

Kirumi throws up her arms, “Fine! Then what you’re saying is either that Gonta was killed at _ like 5:30 _ in the morning by absolutely no-one or that he was killed before the body discovery announcement at _ like 7:50 _ which would make the top suspect Kaito!”

“Seriously? I thought I was cleared of suspicion. Jeez.”

> _ Puddles _

**Consent! **

“Given the testimonies we’ve heard so far, it only makes sense that Maki’s theory is the most likely. Gonta must have died at around 5:30 in the morning.”

“Yeah? Any other _ evidence _ you wanna pull out of Kibou’s mouth?”

“K-Kirumi, you d-don’t need to be so mean,” Shuichi stutters out. She doesn’t respond.

“No, I’ve got something more tangible.” You glance over at Tsumugi. “While we investigated Kaito’s lab, we found puddles that lead to the shower room where Gonta was forced out of the window.”

As if she had been waiting for the whole trial, Tsumugi begins to run her mouth. “The puddles were in a trail that led from the tank into the shower room. The puddles closest to the tank were in a moist and chilled environment and were larger while passing the shower room door, the puddles were small and the room was warm and a little more dry. These conditions affect how long it takes for a puddle to evaporate and judging by the fact that the puddles closest to the window had nearly disappeared by the time we investigated and the ones behind it would probably take another 20-30 minutes to evaporate, we concluded that they must have formed somewhere from 5:00-6:00 in the morning or 3-4 hours before the discovery announcement.”

There’s a wave of confusion washing over the class. You can feel the thoughts and questions in people’s heads, it’s easy to read from their faces. Kaito looks ready to speak but he has to process what it is he’s saying first. 

“Does anyone else find it insane that we’re considering basing this off of _ puddles _?” Kirumi asks.

“Plus, if it’s coming from Tsumugi’s mouth, I’m not buying it,” Maki agrees.

Shuichi fiddles with his tie. “B-but didn’t we already t-take her advice w-with the body? H-how is this different?”

No-one has a good answer to that. _ Thank God, I was close to not saying it at all. _

“But we’re still back where we were before; Angie and Kibou are both still the main suspects,” Tenko points out.

“Are they, though?”

Tsumugi’s question turns everyone’s heads including Kibou’s. She bears a small smile with closed eyes and is rocking gently from side-to-side.

“What do you mean by that?” you ask.

She only shrugs her arms beside her. She knows there must be evidence that hasn’t been used yet but leaving it cryptic isn’t helping you at the moment. _Are Angie and Kibou still the main suspects? Who else would it be?_ _Who else was out last night?_

** _A_ ** ** _ccuse_ **

_ Select Someone _

_ Maki Harukawa _

**Decide**

_ Right, Maki was out last night. She claims she never went to bed. Nobody saw her the whole night so why would she admit something so incriminating? _This internal speculation isn’t going to move this trial forward, you need to actually say something soon or it’ll become a random guess between Kibou and Angie.

“Hey, if Tsumugi’s suggesting that we review everyone’s alibis, I think that would help clarify what she means.” There’s a shrug from most of the class. When no-one wants to begin, you decide to speak up. “I was in my room from the end of the programme to the morning announcement.”

Himiko goes next. “Nyeh, I was about to pass out after the training programme when I got a commission under my door. I started planning but I didn’t get very far and slept until Kiyo woke me up after the morning announcement.”

“I meditated for half an hour in my room and then went to sleep. I did not appreciate staying out for so long.”

Kibou hesitates before answering. He turns to you and all you can do is nod. He takes a shallow breath. “I chose to walk around the school in search for more clues that would lead to the mastermind. At around 5:00 in the morning, I went to the third floor and ran into Angie who turned me away from my lab. Immediately after, I went back to the dorms. I couldn’t help but feel like I was being watched for most of the night but it went away when I went back to the dorms.”

“K-Kirumi walked me back to m-my room a-and I slept until sh-she came to get me.”

“I went straight to my room and slept until the morning announcement. I ran around the dome and then went to swim but Gonta’s body was in the pool! Scared the shit outta me.”

“Shu’s got me covered. Can’t touch me.”

“It’s probably redundant at this point but I also went to bed after the programme and woke up after the body discovery announcement.”

“I was in my lab all of last night. And Rantaro was with me.” Maki quickly adds.

“God was watching over Gonta from all of yesterday until 5:00 AM. He then had to analyse Kibou’s weaponry and scare him away to keep the peace. Once He was done, we went to sleep!” 

_ When did Angie and God become completely synonymous? _

“I fell asleep shortly after the programme ended. I did not get a lot of sleep as I maintained my morning routine at 7:00 and prepared breakfast at 8:00.”

“I went to the dorms and broke into almost everyone’s rooms to return their motive videos. I didn’t come out again until after I heard the body discovery announcement. How much despair that brought me... I knew today was going to get interesting!”

“Maki has already explained my alibi,” Rantaro says. He then shakes his head. “So what has this proven? Kibou and Angie were the only two who were in the school from after the programme ended to the morning announcement. They don’t have reliable alibis.”

Angie stares with unblinking eyes and a wide smile. “So you dare to continue challenging God’s prophet after all? How foolish you must be. Gonta and I had split up. I told him to go back to bed so he would be well rested enough for today’s project which never happened due to his untimely demise.”

“You expect us to just believe that? You’re obviously the most suspicious. You’re the only one who could have been with Gonta before he died,” Maki shoots back.

“And yet, you have ignored another suspect altogether so you can pin it on me,” Angie says.

“It’s absolutely clear that Angie is the culprit,” Rantaro concludes.

Kirumi gives you an uncertain look.

..._ Wait, something’s not right about this. _

** _NonStop Debate_ **

> _ Monokuma File 2 _

>_ Photographs _

> _ Rantaro’s Account _

>_ Black Fabric _

> _ Kibou’s Account _

“You suspect a prophet based on weak evidence?” Angie bounces on their toes. “Nya haha! And you must think God’s prophecies are just as strange. What poor souls you are!”

“Just because you’re religious doesn’t mean you’re automatically in the clear,” says Kaito.

“But we do have a right to call out insanity!”

“It’s not insane or weak, we’ve narrowed down every possible subject,” Maki shoots back.

“Riiiiight. You, Rantaro and Kibou are totally in the clear. I forgot that a weak little programmer could possibly be more suspicious than a soldier. Besides, I have photographic evidence of my absence.”

“Kibou would not be helping us if he was the killer. Rantaro and I were together for the rest of the night. As soon as the programme was over, _ Rantaro came straight to my lab _and then went out on a walk after the morning announcement.” Maki points aggressively, “You don’t have an alibi, and we do. Tell me; who is more suspicious?”

\--> _ Rantaro’s Account _

**Counter!**

“Rantaro,” you interrupt before he can get to another point, “you told me that you went straight to bed last night.”

Rantaro does not respond.

“Are you deaf? I already said that he was with _ me _ last night,” Maki snarls.

“No no, I heard him too,” Kirumi backs you up. “He definitely said, and I quote, _ “If you must know, I went straight to bed last night. I was quite exhausted from the training program and I could not bear to handle any more excitement.” _ You can’t lie about shit when you’ve got a musician listening.”

You continue to interrogate Rantaro. “If you were with Maki and she was in her lab all night, how long were you with her? That doesn’t sound like going _ straight to bed _ to me.”

Rantaro gently smiles. “Ah, you may have misinterpreted what I said. When I said I went straight to bed, what I meant was I went straight to bed _ after _ I met up with Maki. She was in her lab all night, I made sure she was okay.”

“At what point did you leave Maki’s lab?” Kibou asks.

“That is difficult to tell. I often feel no urge to check the time, especially in the late evening.”

“Take a guess,” Kirumi says impatiently.

He sighs. “If I had to, I would estimate around 4:50 AM.”

“Seems convenient that you went to bed ten minutes before Gonta died,” Ryoma presses.

“Not to mention that 20 minutes in Maki’s lab doesn’t sound like _ straight to bed _ to me,” Kirumi adds.

“If your goal is to accuse me, you could at least drop the act of pretending to gather evidence,” Rantaro scowls.

“Maki, why did you defend him?” Tenko asks. “If you are lying, what purpose does that serve? Why would you lie on a man’s behalf?”

“I’m _ not _ lying. Rantaro was in my lab. He has an alibi.”

“Why did he tell Kaede that he went straight to his dorm rooms? That shit just doesn’t add up!”

“I told you, it was a misunderstanding. Sometimes, words that aren’t ordered in a certain way can lead to miscommunication. I apologise for that but rest assured that neither of us are lying.”

“Fine.” You turn and point to your partner. “Tsumugi, was Rantaro in his room when you returned his motive video?”

She starts blushing for some reason. She clasps her hands together and sighs dreamily. “No, he wasn’t. I was breaking in from 5:00 - 6:30 and not once did I see Rantaro in the dorms or his room. Thank you for asking from the bottom of my heart!”

“I’m not inclined to believe the same girl who helped impale someone and hide a body,” Rantaro counters.

Maki pounds her podium with her fist. “This is insane! Rantaro wasn’t even a suspect until now. Are you trying to get them killed or what?”

“Actually, I have to disagree with that,” Tsumugi says while raising her hand, “Rantaro’s been saying weird things while we weren’t paying attention. I leave it to _ my Ultimate Protagonist _ to elaborate.”

_ Weird things? Like what? _You have to concentrate in order to remember. What weird things has Rantaro said? Think...

“_ “...The rules forbid entering the pool at nighttime.” _ Before that, we didn’t have a time of death. You shot down an argument when you shouldn’t have known for sure what time the murder took place.”

“I admit, I may have been speculating a time of death before we began. My apologies for not presenting my opinion in a clearer manner earlier.”

“You also said something about how there was no blood at the scene of the crime,” you add.

Kirumi frowns. “You were in the room for like a minute and I didn’t see you investigate. I mean, you were right but isn’t that weird?”

“I have been getting my information from Maki after I left to clear my head. My apologies for not clarifying that too.”

“A man does not apologise, he explains and tells no lies,” Tenko chastises.

Kirumi grumbles, “Now’s not the time, princess.”

“P-princess?!”

You continue, “This trial also feels like we’ve been going in circles and I have reason to believe you may have been causing it. We speculated what killed Gonta for way too long because you insisted on _ discussing every possibility in detail _.”

“I would not say that I was the sole reason for the trial turning out the way it had. This was a joint effort, after all.”

“Then explain to me why you tried to disregard the jellyfish and kept trying to question every conclusion. Why were you fighting me the whole time?”

“_ Don’t make me repeat myself. _”

_ Argue! _

He scoffs, “You accuse me because you didn’t like that I disagreed with some of the things you said? For the sake of preserving ourselves? How childish. Is that really the best argument you can come up with?” Rantaro slides a hand through his hair to compose himself. “Why don’t we do this again? Try to make yourself more convincing this time.”

**Rebuttal **

**Showdown**

**\- Truth Blade -**

> _ Gonta’s Fingers _

> _ Kibou’s Lab Secret _

> _ Photographs _

>_ Wet Gloves _

“Suppose your hypothesis about puddles is indeed correct - which is a stretch in of itself - I have Maki’s alibi to back me up. Why would she need to lie for me? The answer is clear; she wouldn’t. Your argument is based on random evidence that has been misinterpreted because you fear having to doubt your friends. Your bias against me should not dictate your argument, this place has no room for imaginative pettiness.”

“If I didn’t want to doubt Kibou, I wouldn’t have brought up the photos in the first place. I don’t have an agenda here, I only want the truth!”

“Listen to yourself! You’ve hated me since the beginning! Besides, the photographs aren’t the only proof for Kibou or Angie’s involvement. He had the strength, the means and all of the materials he needed to kill Gonta. If not the weapons then the _ gloves, certainly. _ Either of them must have used Kibou’s gloves to grab the jellyfish and I had no way of telling where to acquire them. Hence, I am not the culprit. Your fantasies have no place in your argument so why don’t we quit deluding ourselves and get to the point?”

\--> _ Wet Gloves _

**Counter!**

“No, neither of them used Kibou’s gloves because those weren’t the ones found in the pool!” You point to Tsumugi who already has them out and is dangling them next to Rantaro. The latter is disgusted beyond grace. “The gloves in the pool don’t belong to anyone here and they were specifically designed to handle jellyfish stingers. Furthermore, anyone could have accessed these as they were in the storage room of Kaito’s lab. The fact that you didn’t know about what was in Kibou’s lab is only digging yourself deeper into this.”

Rantaro chokes for a second but recovers quickly. “A-anyone could have used them? That doesn’t rule out Kibou or Angie either, you know! Your arguments are still just as baseless!”

He doubted everything that moved the case forward and insisted that Angie was the killer the whole time. If he never went back to his dorm during Gonta’s murder, that would explain why Kibou felt like he was being watched. If Rantaro was the culprit, the reason he knew about the camera in Kibou’s lab was because he saw one while hiding on the third floor which would explain the blurry photo from under the bench. But in order to prove it, you need something tangible. Something like...

\--> _ Black Fabric _

“Shuichi, did you keep the black fabric on you after we talked?”

At the mention of his name, he flinches. After a few seconds to compose himself, he takes out the scrap of fabric kept in one of his jeans pockets. “You m-mean this?”

“That’s it! And can you tell the class what you told me about it?”

He gulps. He looks to Kirumi for guidance. She gives him a double thumbs up and smiles. As if that was a prompt for something they’d rehearsed earlier, Shuichi raises his arms above his head and then poses in a way that looks familiar. He takes on a voice that you’ve never heard before; Shuichi with full throttled confidence. “This is likely made of worsted wool which is used for tailored pants and suit jackets and stuff! It costs a bit but it’s comfy and makes for a nice professional looking style!” He turns and poses again. “Finely made, beautifully crafted. This makes for excellent formal clothing and a non-itchy alternative for sweaters as the small threads that usually stick out have been removed entirely! It’s also pretty strong so whatever tore this off was clearly... u-um... stronger.” 

“Whoo! You go, man!” Kirumi cheers. She high-fives Kaito who passes it on to Shuichi who is now sinking back into himself. That was certainly... something.

You turn to Rantaro again. “See? I do have tangible evidence. My accusations aren’t baseless. If we were to--”

“Are you kidding? Your tangible piece of evidence is a random shred of fabric from a jellyfish? And we’re supposed to believe that little show wasn’t planned just to make a display out of my accusations?” 

You’re starting to grow more irritated. “It’s not just the fabric, it’s everything else you’ve done! You continued to settle on conclusions that turned out to be wrong and fought us through the ones that turned out to be right! You knew the time of death before the rest of us did and the claims you, Maki and Tsumugi are making don’t add up with each other! You say you went to bed at 4:50 but you weren’t in your room from 5:00 - 6:30 which is around the time when Gonta was murdered! I’m not biased, I’m using what evidence I have and it’s all pointing to you!”

“Evidence? You call that evidence?” Rantaro laughs and rolls his eyes, “I don’t even have a motive! Why on Earth would I harm someone like Gonta?”

“The last case should make us not have to question motives, we’re beyond motives at this point! If you would let me explain what the black fabric is--”

“I don’t care about your fabric! I refuse to hear anymore of it! What kind of idiot would use such a random piece of trash to accuse a man of murder?! You can’t prove I’m the culprit with just that!”

As if on cue, Himiko, Maki and Shuichi start shaking in place. Shuichi’s knees give out and he falls on his podium. Himiko zones out and starts rocking in place. You hover your arm behind her just in case she falls. Maki covers her face and tugs at her hair, aggressively pulling her fringe and growling at nothing. _ What’s gotten into them? What about Rantaro’s statement is riling them up so much? _

...

It must be because they know what’s right. Rantaro is the culprit, he can’t deny it anymore. If Maki and Rantaro’s statements don’t add up and both of them are collapsing at calling them out, it’s absolutely right. You just need to prove it.

**Armament**

**Argument**

Your conclusions are incorrect!

I refuse to acknowledge them!

Your arguments hold no weight...

And your biases are holding us back!

Think of how selfish you’re becoming...

When all of their lives are at stake!

The truth that you push on us...

Is just to serve some self-righteous agenda!

I admit that I may be acting unnaturally...

And my previous statements do sound unbased...

But you have pushed me to become this way!

I cannot accept your claims for even a second!

Your evidence is weak

And your so-called deductions are just speculation!

So let’s get back to a more reasonable discussion...

And don’t interfere with the truth again!

How does that trash prove I’m guilty!?

** _ RANTARO’S COAT _ **

“That piece of fabric matches Rantaro’s coat jacket.”

“Gh...!”

“How can you be so certain?” Kiyo asks. That look isn’t of sincere doubt. It’s empowering.

“The fabric was stuck on the jellyfish’s tentacle. If the culprit was wearing gloves, it couldn’t have come from Kirumi since those wouldn’t be enough to hold onto a toxic creature.”

She grabs at any black clothes on her. “Oh yeah, Shuichi came in and checked me with that. Not my skirt either, the fabric type doesn’t match. What was it... cotton satan?”

“S-sateen,” he quietly corrects.

“If we want to check every individual person to colour match their clothes, that’s fine by me but what I’m guaranteeing is that the tailored worsted wool and black shade matches Rantaro’s coat perfectly. The jellyfish must have grabbed onto his coat during some part of the murder and the only way to get it off was to tear off the fabric with it.”

“What about Gonta’s black belt?” asks Himiko.

“There were no signs of tearing from Gonta’s clothes before I investigated, including the belt,” Kibou counters.

Rantaro runs his hands through his hair. “Th-that’s ridiculous!” His face is red, he’s sweating from his forehead. He grips his podium and leans forward. “I have an alibi! Maki was with me last night! She can testify that I couldn’t have done it, right?”

She’s not answering anymore. She’s looking off distantly.

“Maki? Are you listening? Tell them I’m innocent. Tell them I have an alibi.”

She does not say a word. Whatever they arranged, she’s second-guessing. Her eyebrows twitch. 

Rantaro sucks in a breath through clenched teeth to feign his patience, “Don’t give up on them now. Don’t give up on _ me _ now. All you need to do is tell the class that I couldn’t possibly be the killer.”

“Dude, give it a break,” Kaito intervenes, “she’s not gonna lie for you anymore. The best thing to do is--”

“She’s not lying! She just refuses to tell you all the truth because she’s just a coward who couldn’t save anything! Not your home, not your secrets and now not yourself! So why don’t you just sit down and wait to die since you’re already preparing yourself for it now!”

_ Where is all of this aggression coming from? _The previously cool and calm Rantaro is now spouting death threats at Maki. She does not react. There’s no movement or blinking or sound or shiver. The more aggressive Rantaro becomes, the louder Kaito has to shout to get him to stop. Pretty soon, Kirumi is taking off her boots and looks ready to throw them. She stops when Tenko shouts that Shuichi is on the brink of collapsing from the chaos. It all keeps escalating until...

“Enough.” Maki looks up and speaks with a clenched jaw, “Just stop it. This isn’t what they would have wanted.”

“Maki--”

“This has to end. Breaking my stuff, shouting at me, lying when it’s over. Look at you. Even if you did get out, how would you be able to face them again?”

Rantaro stands silent at his podium. You can hear his shallow breaths and the way he steps back. His hair is sticking out and there are ugly wrinkles where his eyebrows pull together. He takes loud gulps and his jaw shudders, completely speechless. Slowly, his head lowers and he stares into his open palms. He’s trying to smile but by the way he’s gritting his teeth, it seems like it’s being prevented by tears. His palms turn to fists and he’s shaking again. Angry tears fall right off of his cheeks and land on the podium. You can hear choked sobbing and thuds as his knuckles hit the wooden stands. For the first time, you see him as a teenager. He is not the adult he pretends he is.

“I can’t lie for you anymore. I thought this was for a worthy cause but now that we’re here...” Maki shakes her head, “I can’t stand to look at you anymore. I can’t fight for you. I can’t excuse you.”

Angie leans forward. “You knew it was him all along? That is why you targeted me?”

“It was either you or Kibou. It was never meant to be Gonta. I couldn’t stop him from following Kibou but it turned out that Gonta was the best option for his plan. None of this was supposed to go this way. I had no involvement except for what he told me after the fact. He told me to lie for him and I did. It was stupid. This was all so... so stupid.”

“So... is Rantaro seriously the culprit?” Himiko asks.

“From what Maki says and from Rantaro’s reaction, yes,” Kiyo replies.

Tsumugi claps. “Why don’t we get Kaede to finish it off again? It worked well last time and it’ll clear everything up!”

Everyone shrugs in agreement. _ Alright then, here we go... _

**Closing Argument**

“The case started just after everyone parted ways late last night, at around 4:30 AM. While most of us went back to our dorms to rest, some chose to stay out. Those people were Angie, Gonta, Kibou, Maki and the culprit. Angie and Gonta stuck together while they walked around the school, Kibou was investigating suspicious areas, Maki was in her lab, and the culprit was hiding in wait for their target.”

“After Angie and Gonta had finished praying, they sent Gonta away to go to sleep. Not long after, Kibou came up the stairs to investigate but Angie knew that if he did, he would find his Ultimate Lab. To deter him, they scared him off and forced him to retreat to his room.”

“The culprit was targeting Kibou but after Angie scared him off, that plan had to change. They waited until the duo separated and Angie had walked far out of sight before approaching the victim, Gonta. The culprit lured him into Kaito’s Ultimate lab.”

“The lab is filled with dangerous fish from around the globe including the highly venomous box jellyfish. The culprit had snagged the gloves from the storage closet and used them to carefully take out the jellyfish. They carried it to the showerroom where Gonta stood. The culprit unleashed the venomous jellyfish directly to Gonta’s chest and pushed it into his body so he would die almost instantly. During the struggle, Gonta was pushed out of the window and he fell into the pool. The culprit then tossed in the gloves and some other fish to throw us off the trail.”

“With that, the culprit made their escape. Gonta’s body was found this morning, at 9:40 AM. A majority of us were in the dining hall after Shuichi suffered from a panic attack. However, Kaito had decided to go for a swim after his morning jog around the large wall. But when he opened the pool doors, he was met with Gonta’s body with some dead marine animals. Understandably panicked, Kaito ran out of the pool and alerted everyone in the dining hall about his discovery. That’s what triggered the body discovery announcement. Everyone who wasn’t already aware ran down to the pool together.” 

“The culprit was right under my nose the whole time. I had been confronting them upstairs about a completely unrelated matter.”

“And that’s everything there is to this case... isn’t that right, Rantaro Amami, the Ultimate Affluent Progeny!?”

Rantaro’s gaze drifts from person to person. There’s something vacant in his expression that’s reminiscent of Miu’s true face but the realisation makes you immediately guilty for drawing that comparison. Shuichi’s shivers are the only sounds left to hang in the courtroom. A creeping dread... a despair so deep it’s rendered you speechless.

“Who is _ them _?” 

You look over to Tsumugi who is tilting her head. “What?”

“Maki said _ how would you be able to face them again? _ and that’s been bugging me.” She rocks onto her other foot. “Not _ us, _ not _ me _ , not a named person. _ Them _ . It suggests there’s another person we don’t know about or, stranger still, a group of people. Who are _ they? _”

“Ah, how strange indeed! Perhaps someone worth more than _ us? _ How important can a person be to sacrifice your friends?” Angie adds.

“Friends?” Something about Tsumugi’s tone makes you think that was more sarcastic than you would like.

“Does it matter? He killed a dude and that’s low!” Kirumi scowls.

Maki looks like she’s biting her tongue at this point. What about Kirumi’s comment is riling her up so much? Surely, she can’t find a way to justify murder from what you’ve seen from Miu and Tsumugi, right?

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Monokuma interrupts, “We can’t discuss motives and all that crap until _ after _ the vote!”

“Yeah, he’s right! There’s already way too much time invested in this one section. We gotta keep it moving or Monokid will fall asleep,” says Monotaro. 

“Um, Monokid is already asleep,” Monophanie says, gesturing to the bear in question. “We had so little to say that he passed out around three hours ago. Makes you wonder why we’re here at all.”

Monotaro shrugs, “There was so much misery going on that we had nothing to add to make it much worse. Ruins the pacing, y’know? Actually, that might make it even more despair-inducing.”

Tsumugi chimes in, “Then please, say something next time. The lowest of despairs will lead to the greatest of hopes! The cycle never lies!”

“Ngh! Did somebody say despair?!” Monokid shouts as he awakens from his nap.

“A-hem!” Monokuma silences them. “The heart-racing excitement begins again as the blackened and the spotless face off!”

“IT’S VOTING TIME!” The Monokubs shout in unison.

**Voting Time!**

From the breakdown and the way you conveyed the story of the crime, there shouldn’t be any hesitation in this choice. Yet your finger hovers over his icon. That face. It’s so calm and welcoming. Both the warmth from a smile and the cool from his gentle gaze. You suppose the ferocity of Miu’s resting face made it a tad easier to press and now you’re second-guessing everything again. _ He has to be the killer, Maki confessed it, _ you tell yourself. You press the button and wait for everyone else to do the same.

“Hurry up! Can’t be waiting all day, y’know!” Monokuma shouts impatiently.

“Just a question,” Tsumugi sticks her hand up, “what happens if there’s a tie?”

“A tie? What nonsense!”

Monophanie slaps her face, “We’ve seriously _ never _ had a tie before? What would we even do?”

“I say we make it rain! Treat it like the blackened winning and make it a fuckin’ slaughter party up in here!” suggests Monokid.

“IF-ONE-OF-THE-BASTARDS-CAUGHT-IN-THE-TIE-IS-THE-BLACKENED, THE-SPOTLESS-WIN-AND-THE-BLACKENED-IS-EXECUTED,” Monodam answers.

“Oh. Couldn’t everyone then vote for themselves and weed out the blackened like that?” Monotaro asks.

“What kinda idiot would kill someone and then go along with that? They’d obviously vote for someone else! You’d K-O the whole class! Massacre the whole ring! Hoo-yah!”

“Oops, forgot they could do that.”

“H-how horrifying!”

“Ah, what smart little cubs you are,” Monokuma sighs. He then shifts in his chair as Tsumugi presses her screen with a giggle. “Let’s see the results!”

Just like before, the monitor descends and the tallies are added. Lots of red lines for Rantaro and one for Angie. Rantaro’s picture appears next to the scores and bells chime from speakers nearby.

“Who’ll be chosen as the blackened?!” Monokuma cheers from his chair, “Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one?!”

**VERDICT**

You watch the roulette wheel. If you could sweat any harder, you’d be able to fill a kiddie pool. It quickly flies around the class and as it slows, you try to predict where it would stop at its current state. It slows at Kaito. Over Kirumi, Ryoma, Maki, Angie... Kiyo... Tsumugi... and then Rantaro. The lights flash his pixel portrait and victory music plays from somewhere. AMAMI flashes and coins spill out of the slot. You check your bag and as soon as you do, you notice an amass of coins filling it up. _ What the...? _


	18. Of Devils and Mischief and Prayers - Deadly Life III

**Class Trial: ALL RISE!**

Kirumi flinches at something. That’s never a good sign.

“Oh me, oh my! You all got it right! How unexpected! How unpredictable!” Monokuma cackles from his chair. “The blackened who killed Gonta Gokuhara is the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, Rantaro Amami!”

“Bravo!” the Monokubs cheer.

No-one celebrates with them. An uncomfortable and somber silence falls over the courtroom. It’s suffocating. As if strong, thick fingers were grasping around your throat and squeezing your flesh. As if a wet towel was shoved in your face as you lay strapped to a bed. As if the tree you fell from had caught you by the neck and stopped too quickly to stop the crack from your spine. You shiver. After a couple of seconds pass, only one person is able to make a sound. It’s Tsumugi; she’s clapping. She claps like a proud mother at her child’s school play, beaming and grinning and rocking from side-to-side with absolute glee. It’s disgusting how cute she’s making this seem.

“Stop it,” Kirumi rebukes.

“But aren’t you glad you won? You survived! You all worked together to solve a mystery and now you get to live to see another day. Isn’t that worth applauding?”

Ryoma shoots back, “Three people are dead and now another is about to join them. What about that is worth applauding?” His eyes are cold and consuming.

She pantomimes with a big pouty frown and slumps her shoulders. “Aww, we’ve got a downer. That’s no good. This is supposed to be the good luck side, isn’t it? Or has it ended already? Either way, there’s no reason not to look at the bright side.”

“Tsumugi, shut up,” you snap.

Rantaro resigns himself to an upright posture. His eyes close, tensing his brows and clenching his jaw. 

“God dammit, man,” Kaito sighs.

Tenko turns to Maki, “So you lied on Rantaro’s behalf? I cannot imagine what would cause a woman to do such a thing.” 

Maki winces, “Yeah, I know. I don’t usually lie for people. Rest assured that it won’t happen again.”

“The only question we should be asking is why would Rantaro kill at all?” says Kiyo.

_ Face them? Not what they wanted? What else could it be? _

Rantaro doesn’t respond immediately. He’s still winding down from his emotional outburst. He clenches and unclenches his fists and lowers his shoulders. Finally, he opens his eyes and looks around. His eyes are full of pain and regret.

“I watched my motive video.”

“You did?” Tsumugi perks up.

“B-but how? D-didn’t she st-steal all of them b-before we could watch them?” Shuichi trembles.

Kaito rubs his chin thoughtfully. “Tsumugi stole all of the motive videos and no-one watched them so there’s no way that--”

“I watched the video,” Ryoma interrupts.

“Wh-what?”

“It wasn’t mine. I felt horrible about it later but it’s too late to unlearn it now.”

“Whose was it?” Tenko asks.

Maki folds her arms, “That doesn’t matter. The point is that people could’ve watched them before Tsumugi stole them.” She shoots a glare at the blackened. “If Rantaro would like to explain himself, I’m giving him the opening now.”

He has trouble standing up completely straight. After his outburst, you figure it would be pretty hard to go back to the way he usually acted. 

“I stayed out late with Maki the night we received our motive videos. We talked about the tragedy of Kokichi’s death and how we hoped it wouldn’t happen again. Unfortunately, I had no idea about what cruel tricks Monokuma was going to pull on us. The video I received... was my own.”

Tenko gasps, “Oh, dear.” 

“What? You know something?” Kirumi asks.

“I must admit, I also had trouble sleeping that night. My breathing exercises weren’t helping nearly as much as they should have and I found myself becoming disgustingly restless. I was awake when the motive video was given to me. I watched it but was left... justifiably concerned.”

“...Worried?”

“A woman is only worried about her children or her husband, I have no reason to feel worried.”

Kirumi rolls her eyes, “Whatever, granny.”

“The point is that the video I watched was not my own. I should confess to... fabricating part of my alibi earlier. I had not actually slept last night but I did stay in my room in an attempt to do so.”

“Okay, how many of us are not sleeping right?” Kaito calls to the class in an almost fatherly way, justifiably concerned.

Ryoma raises his hand, Shuichi quickly follows suit. Tenko, Himiko, (reluctantly) Kirumi, Rantaro, Tsumugi... and you. The bags sunken into their faces are much easier to notice with this in mind. Kaito’s eyes widen and he furrows his brows. You wonder if he’s surprised because of how many people can’t sleep or if it has something to do with feeling less alone. It’s nice to be in the majority, for once. Just a class full of sleep-deprived murderers.  _ Stop it, I don’t need this right now. _

“More to the point,” Kiyo continues, “this suggests that there was a reason for Rantaro to receive his own motive video while the rest of us did not. If I recall correctly, Tsumugi had returned the videos to their respective owners with an added note about how they were originally mixed up.”

“And both Tenko and Ryoma’s testimony confirms that,” Kibou adds.

Monokuma stands from his high chair, “Yeah, what’s this about swapping videos?”

“Umm,” Monotaro sweats.

“Uhh,” Monokid stutters.

“Err,” Monophanie adds.

Monodam has nothing to say.

“Oh, I see,” Monokuma raises his claw, “looks like we’ve got some explaining to do, right kids?!”

“I-it wasn’t my fault! I gave them to Monokid!”

“Don’t point at me, you bastard! Monophanie’s the one who handed ‘em to me and fucked up the order!”

“H-wha?! It’s not my fault Monotaro shoved me into the dark and gross rooms! I couldn’t see and the smell made me want to throw up.”

“THIS-WAS-MY-FAULT,” Monodam interrupts. “I-HAD-A-RESPONSIBILITY-AND-I-FAILED-TO-DO-IT. I-SHOULD-TAKE-THE-BLAME.”

Taken aback, the other kubs sweat profusely and shake in place. If they had fur, they’d turn to hackles. It makes you question what is causing them to sweat.  _ Actually, how do they excrete fluids in general? Monosuke bled during Miu’s... demise which suggests that either they are alive or they are filled with blood despite consisting of mechanical parts. If they can sweat, do they have glands? Animatronic sweat glands? _

You’re  _ snapped _ back into reality with a jarring headache.  _ Enough of that. _ More to the point...

“M-Monodam! You’re so... generous!” Monotaro exclaims, suddenly becoming a sycophant.

“Beyond generous! Divinely merciful!” Monophanie adds.

“What she said! Fuckin’ baller, man!”

“Shut up! You’re ruining the tension!” Tsumugi shouts while tugging on her hair, “The videos got mixed up on accident and Rantaro got his own which caused him to kill. This all wasn’t supposed to happen and we’re very sad and frustrated. We get it! Can we move on now?”

As much as you want to be disgusted by her generalising statements, she does have a point. One might argue that the distraction will make the inevitable come later but another might say that wasting time allows for fewer explanations. Time doesn’t just stop because of tragedy. If anything, it would go faster. Emotions flicker in this room, especially anything as powerful as joy, and they’re often snuffed out by something even bigger, such as the deep-rooted dread of the next time Monokuma opens his mouth. 

“I believe I owe you the rest of my explanation,” Rantaro says. His eyes shift around the room with uncertainty.

“So you were driven by your motive video. Whatever on it must have been pretty important.” Ryoma punctuates this by taking out a candy cigar and sticking it in his mouth. It reminds you of one of those detectives from the movies, always so casual and slow while smoking and hearing the family’s weeps and grieving. 

“Yes. I know what is waiting for me outside. Monokuma had threatened...” Rantaro’s voice cracks. “m-my sisters.”

A gasp fills the room. Monokuma jumps from his chair and demands the video be played from the big screen. You all turn your eyes toward it. Just like your motive video, Rantaro’s begins with a mocking introduction.

“It’s an oldie but a goody, it’s time for the classic motive video! Who’s the most important person in  _ your _ life?”

The screen changes to Rantaro sitting with his legs over each other on his desk. It’s littered with contracts, stacks of paper money and family portraits. He looks slightly smug.

“Rantaro Amami, the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. After inheriting his wealth from his parents, this rich kid has earned his way to the top by playing the stock market and... keeping good relations.”

Current Rantaro shuffles uncomfortably in place.

“But a boy like him doesn’t just become rich without a sacrifice. Or twelve.”

The screen changes to a picture of twelve small girls, varying in size and shape but all have an uncanny resemblance. Two or three even look identical to Rantaro. They’re smiling and making faces to the camera.

“You see, in order to inherit his father’s fortune, he had to compete for it. The rest of the competition was cast out of the family and forced to retreat to their miserable lives without the Amami inheritance. How tragic! The Amami siblings had all been separated for decades with no way to communicate with each other... up until we decided to track them down and get them together for a family reunion!”

The screen twists and for a moment, you catch them at a different angle as if the camera had fallen to the ground. The colours turn negative.

“Unfortunately for them, they got together just before something tragic happened! These girls suffered from a terrible accident...” Monokuma pops up on the screen, “What kind of accident? Find out after graduation!”

The screen cuts out and all eyes fall back onto Rantaro. You’ve never seen shame on his handsome face before. 

“So... that’s what I saw. That’s why I...” He shakes his head. Even while he stands guilty, he tries to smile although it’s weak and strained. “But they all looked so happy. Ten years of searching for them only to find they were in danger and it was all my fault.”

“You’ve been searching for them for ten years?” Kaito asks, dumbfounded.

“I had forgotten what their faces looked like but I never gave up hope. I’ve been travelling around the world with the dream that one day, we would all be reunited and... I would apologise to them.”

Kirumi tilts her head. “What for?”

“For... ruining their lives. I took every part of the Amami inheritance for myself. I knew we were competing but it wasn’t fair of me to take it all. I was the oldest, I was always meant to win.” He rubs his eye with the back of hand. “I hoped that if I could find them, I could give back the Amami inheritance and end this cruel cycle my family started. I would be banished from the family if my father found out so I always wrote to him that I was just travelling for travelling’s sake. I would meet lovely people and do incredible things but... I couldn’t fill the total emptiness in my heart. I’m sorry.”

The room is awkwardly quiet for a little while longer. Rantaro scratches the back of his neck. He does that classic Amami smile but it’s fake.

“So... does anyone else have anything to say to me? Before I’m... punished?” he softly asks the class. His face is strained.

No-one says anything but someone moves. It’s Maki of all people. She steps away from her podium and stands in front of Rantaro. She stares for a moment, her expression is unreadable. She stands still. Rantaro slumps his shoulders. Maki raises her fist. She hesitates. She closes her eyes and clenches her teeth.

“I should have... seen this coming, shouldn’t I?” she says.

“It’s not your fault--”

“I didn’t stop you! I should’ve stopped you when I had the chance! Why did I let you do this?!” Maki pounds her fists onto Rantaro’s chest, her voice struggling to stay stoic. He takes it with barely a wince as she punches and kicks him. It’s almost playful how none of her hits actually make an impact on him. After a while, she slows down. A flat palm to his chest that then slides down his sweater, then she balls her fist in it. Just as she’s beginning to let go, Rantaro raises one shoulder and slides off his coat. He does the same on the other side and drops it onto his arms behind him. One arm slips out of the sleeve and he swings the coat and the remaining arm around to Maki, handing it to her. She lets go of his sweater.

“It wasn’t your responsibility to keep me from doing something stupid. It was your choice to listen to me that night when I came into your lab. It was your choice to listen when we explored my lab. It wasn’t your choice about Gonta,” Rantaro shakes his head, “I’m sorry that I’ve let you down. ”

“You could have at least gotten away with it,” she mutters.

“Maki, that’s enough,” Tenko scowls.

Rantaro offers his coat to her. She stares at it, unmoving. Finally, she takes it from him and crumples it between her arms. She blows out one last sigh and turns back to her podium. Beside Rantaro, you’ve noticed that Tsumugi is taking an interest in him. Her eyes are focused, her forehead slightly creased in concentration. She opens her mouth but no sound comes out.

“Welp, if we’re all done with our sob session, I think it’s time for the execution!” Monokuma cheers to the class. 

Rantaro stands up straight and takes a deep breath, leveling himself with his hands. Gently pushing down to keep himself up when there’s nothing beneath him. He turns to you, lazily regarding your sweaty face.

“Now then, I have prepared a very special punishment for the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, Rantaro Amami!”

He chuckles humorlessly. “What? You still believe in me?”

“I have to. I’m done doubting you and... I’m sorry.” It’s getting harder to see him. You’re playing with the scrunchie between your fingers while your eyes cloud themselves. 

He tilts his head, thinking. Skeptical. 

“Belief... doubt... our new platitudes, I suppose. How strange, I wasn’t expecting it to turn out this way.” He shoots you a knowing smirk. “It’s my belief that almost set me free and your doubt that killed me. The tables have turned, so they say. Interesting.”

“Rantaro--”

“ _ All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before. How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again. _ That’s Henry-Skott Holland, right?”

“Henry Skott-Holland,” you correct.

He smiles, “Ah, you’ve noticed. I’m glad. This was not all for naught.”

“Let’s give it everything we’ve got! It’s... PUNISHMENT TIIIME!”

**GAME OVER**

Rantaro has been found guilty

Time for the punishment!

Monotaro leaps from his seat and slams some handcuffs onto Rantaro’s wrists. Monokid then gets a thick rope and further ties his hands behind his back to prevent him from escaping. He struggles but there’s still an aura of calm in his movements. This gives time to raise the fence that separates the class from the execution and a giant monitor descends so you can get a look of his face. Your fingers thread through the gaps in the chain-linked fence and you stand on your toes out of nervousness. The stage behind him turns into a town’s centre with two posts; one with nooses hanging above stools, some with Monokumas fed through them, and a guillotine. He is dragged closer to the posts. It seems like he’s got the option to pick which death he wants.

Rantaro looks to the fence with curved brows. He spots Maki and makes a half-hearted smile, waving as best as he can with his hands behind his back. He looks back to the posts and tenses.

**Riche Cause, Pauvre Mort**

_ Ultimate Affluent Progeny _

_ Rantaro Amami’s Execution: Executed _

Rantaro takes one step toward the guillotine. He takes one step toward the nooses. Despite his sweating, he steps toward the guillotine with a smug look on his face. He joins the line and is immediately met with rotten fruit thrown his way. The tomatoes stain his sweater and the apples spray juices into his hair. You watch as a line of Monokumas lay face down on the chopping block and are swiftly decapitated by another with a bag over its head. You count how many he’s got left. There’s six. Now five. He’s getting closer. You can’t bear to watch.

You hear a gasp from your side of the fence. Someone’s noticed something on the other side of the stage. In line to be hanged, just across from Rantaro’s execution, stand twelve silhouettes. You recognise some of them from the video.  _ No, they can’t be... _

He looks up from his walk and sees what’s happening. He struggles in his restraints and his eyes scan the stage rapidly for something, anything. He turns his head both ways to check for something, then sprints away from the line. He dashes toward the other post. He crosses the line separating the two. You can hear ragged breaths behind you. 

A conveyor belt rises from under the ground. Rantaro is stuck running in the same spot as he can only watch the silhouettes step onto the posts and file down to the end to be executed. Every section of the floor is a maze of moving floors. His struggling gets the crowd excited. He steps to the left to move closer to the post but then he’s surrounded by floors moving in the opposite direction. Some parts of the floor are removed and replaced with small ponds. Upon closer inspection, these ponds contain piranhas and alligators and the like. 

One silhouette has been hanged. Then two. Then three. Desperate, Rantaro hops from one belt to the next. Nothing is getting him any closer. He narrowly dodges death as he quickly balances himself without his arms after leaping over a pond. Four, then five. The next lot come to replace them. He stumbles but doesn’t fall. He’s reached a corner but it’s not close enough. Six. 

_ What is he planning to do if he gets there? Get someone to untie his arms? _ You shake your head.  _ No, I have to believe in him! He can make it! He has to! _

He thinks to himself while standing in the corner. Judging by his rapid head movements, he’s probably scanning for a pathway. His eye twitches and his head flings to another spot. Eyes following the movement of the belts and creasing his brows every wrong path. Seven, eight.

His knees bend. He must have thought of something! Sprinting with everything he has left in him, Rantaro leaps over a panel and quickly stabilizes himself before he can fall on his back. Absolute determination on his face. The belt leads him closer to the post. Nine. Rantaro leaps and sprints, nearly falling several times. He skips over panels and evades the pools of piranhas. He’s close! Ten.

He steps on the last panel. The other conveyor belts automatically turn off and the ground beneath him flashes red. He watches an eleventh sister rise from the stool. With no time to waste, Rantaro--

Is pushed to the ground. Silhouettes of little girls clamber on top of him and pin him down. Cries and screams erupt before being drowned in the noise of metal scraping from above. You can’t see him anymore but you can see something catching the light as it rapidly descends from the ceiling. Monodam kicks Monophanie into the pile. Tsumugi is clinging onto the fence. Your warning cry is too late. A guillotine axe falls from the sky and the landing coats the silhouettes in pink. The monitor turns to static for a moment. The fuzzy screen seems to roll up and down, scrambling to create a coherent picture. You don’t want to see it. Once it pieces itself together, all it shows is a blurry close-up of Rantaro’s face at an angle where you can see his shoulders are clearly too far away to be connected. Blood pools around the body. There are still tears coming out of his eyes as the silhouettes stand up and stare down at him. 

...

The fence is the only thing keeping you upright. Your face is pressed against the interlocking wires and scrunched tight from stress and anguish and shame and, for whatever the phrase is worth, absolute despair. Your fingers furl over the chains, digging into your flesh as it holds your weight. It could slice your digits if the wires were any thinner or sharper. You hear voices but not words. Whatever anyone else is saying is being drowned out. Deaf, blind and dumb. The world could collapse around you and you wouldn’t know or care. In a sense, it already has. You watch with stupor as the set of Rantaro’s execution sinks under the floor, his corpse goes down with it. The platforms shudder and his head rolls further away from his body. Something hot rises to your throat that tastes vaguely like rice and burns like acid. Saliva builds and the rice slithers its tendrils behind your clenched teeth. You force yourself to swallow. It’s disgusting, there are some chunks that don’t go down on the first go. You have to breathe from your mouth to let the air in and block out something liquid spilling out.

Monokuma is cackling and carrying on about despair, Monotaro and Monokid are terrified of Monodam. Among the muffled noises, you can’t hear Tsumugi’s voice. The choking sounds are to be expected but there’s some retching and gagging as well. It’s not coming from you so that’s a bonus. Kirumi is saying something that sounds annoyed and disgusted, Tenko sounds disgusted and strained. Words are not coming to you. Less so when Kaito turns you around by the shoulders and tries to shake you into consciousness. You are awake but it doesn’t feel like. Your brain is swimming in its own juices, ricocheting around your skull and tearing itself apart in the process. 

Why? Why are you weak? You have the strength to kill but not to speak? You can’t lie for even a second? You have to, the class depends on it.

“Whass... s’ happening?” you slur. 

You smell something awful. Shuichi is hacking up his lungs while on the floor, Kirumi is shouting about her shoes, Tenko is calling his reaction ugly and it’s getting so hard to stay in the room in the face of disaster. Kaito is staring expectedly.  _ Did he ask a question?  _ How are you supposed to know? What are you going to do, Kaede?

...

You... rise from Kaito’s grip and order him to carry Shuichi to his room. Everyone should go back to their rooms and rest. It’s funny how they’ll listen easier when you’ve zoned out, if not saddening. You’re in Go! mode and you didn’t even have to press a button this time. You think Kibou is talking, something is gently pulling you along. Realising this, your body tenses as it automatically keeps walking through the cold air. Then it’s warmer. Your hands are shaking but your shoulders are snug. The stench of vomit and salt hasn't quite left you yet and you have to roll your tongue around your mouth just to check you didn't throw up while on autopilot. Thankfully, there's nothing to taste but your own spit. 

Without any recollection as to how you got there, you are now standing in your room. Alone. Your fingers are picking at the scrunchie as you try to piece together sounds replaying in your head. There was Kibou... and Kaito and Tenko and Kirumi... did Maki say something? Maybe not, someone spoke very quietly and it was already hard to hear anything. Mumbles and whispering isn't a lot to go on. As soon as Rantaro's face appeared on that screen, sound ceased to exist. The world was blurry and spinning and awfully confusing. It still is. It never stopped. At least real life made some sense. At least in real life, there was no drive or reason for you to kill anyone.

Your mind catches up with your body and you string along one coherent sentence. “I killed him.” This string gets longer, “I killed Rantaro Amami.” And then it grows beyond the walls of the dorm and into incoherent babbling, “I f-fucking... I killed Rantaro and Miu and I almost killed everyone and- I  _ killed _ them, it’s all my fault, I killed him and--”

Your sentence is filled with wails and sounds of your fist pounding the pillow. It’s long enough to wring around your gut and push your stomach to your chest, squeezing you tightly enough to burst. It could cram down your throat and replace your intestines so you could never eat again. It could crush your spine under its weight and pull you through the mattress with its overwhelming gravity. Your eyes fall, heavy as the tears waterboarding you while you chew the sheets of the bed. You sentence yourself.


End file.
